Development and evaluation of novel integrated underground mining and sorting systems

In underground mining operations, it is common practice for all extracted ore to be transported to the surface. A substantial share of the moved mass is non-valuable minerals, particularly in the field of low-grade (metal) commodities. Because average mining depths will increase in the near future, transportation of large quantities of waste to the surface will result in overall higher production costs. Integrated underground mining and sorting systems are capable of significantly altering the profitability of common mining systems, where the ore is usually transported from the workings to the processing plant on the surface and separated waste rock is disposed of in waste dumps, tailings ponds or in underground voids as backfill. This thesis presents new integrated underground mining and sorting concepts. The concepts pro-vide general possibilities for underground plant integration of a wide class of different mining systems. The investigation tools developed and employed in the course of this thesis also mark a contribution in terms of enabling a fast and resource efficient evaluation of integrated underground sorting for each specific case. In addition, this study is intended to serve as a handbook offering assistance in technical and economic pre-feasibility studies.