Optimization of blending operation for phosphate mines and stockpiles using linear programming technique in mining

Abstract EN

Blending operation of different grades of ores is performed to maintain the rich part of ore as much as possible.

The purpose of this paper is to find the optimum solution of blending operation of phosphate ore applying linear programming using Excel Solver Spreadsheet Software Packages.

Optimization process was applied to three phosphate mines based on selling price as a control factor.

The same mines were optimized in another way taking profit in the objective function of the blending process.

The obtained results gave the same blending percentages with the two options.

There is a big difference in the gained profit up to 18 million dollars when the selling price option was applied as a control factor.

On the other hand, seven stockpiles of phosphate ore; each has quantity and average grade extracted and accumulated from different mines.

The final profit calculated from the option of selling price as a control factor was 360 thousand dollars higher than the one estimated when profit control factor was used.