2010 Mining Engineering Board examination

Day 1 : 1st half           – Multiple Choice (100 pts)

Day 1 : 2nd half          – Essay/ Situational Analysis (15 questions-105 pts)

Essay Questions:

1. Explain the Lerch Grossman Method. Give the various steps of this method (Supply own
data) – 12pts.

2. Explain the PMRC Code – 8pts.

a. Classification of Resource and Reserve
b. How to become a competent person
c. Guidelines on submitting reports

3. Given a mine data, compute for: - 12 points

a. life of mine
b. total product of metals
c. excise tax,
d. cash flow for every year
e. SDMP
f. Net present value of the mine.

Questions no. 4 to 6

Explain the following for the 3 mines: Geology of the deposit, and country rock, mine planning,
mining method, safety and ventilation, dilution control, cost benefits and other items – 15pts
(5pts for each mine)

g. Lepanto
h. Philex
i. Rio Tuba

7. Draw the geologic profile of a nickel deposit.  Identify the increasing MgO, Co and
Nickel content – 5pts.

8. You have a 4,000 ha area, which is in a watershed (or near a watershed). Make your own
assumptions. Explain how you will develop it all the way to operation. – 8 pts

This part is more on exploration and prospecting. Knowing that you have copper anomalies
in this area, how do you confirm the reserve.

9. The operating parameter s of a new open pit mine which is scheduled to be developed
under the MPSA system are as follows:
 Ore tonnage/annun                              - 10, 440, 000 MT

Stripping ratio                                     - 0.77:1

Material specific gravity                     - 2.75:1

Bench height                                       - 12.5 meters

Subgrade                                             - 2.5 meters

Drill pattern                                         - 10m x 10m

Drill penetration rate                           - 110 meters/shift

Drilling shits/day                                 - 3 shifts

Drilling days/year                                - 348 days

Drill utilization                                    - 65%

Time efficiency                                   - 50 min per 60 min

As the mine planning engineer, how many drills (excluding spare) are required to sustain the
total brocken muck requirement of the open pit? Consider theoretically computed fraction units
as one (1) unit.

10. A big open pit mine will be developed under the MPSA scheme of the New Mining Act.
It has working three (3) shifts per day. The operating parameters are as follows:

Daily production                                    - 25,000 TPD

Stripping Ratio                           - 1.5:1

Truck payload                                        - 77 MT

Truck Mechanical Availability   - 70%

Ore Haulage Cycle                                 - 16 min

Waste haulage cycle                               - 10 min

Time Efficiency                                     - 50 min/ 60 min

How many haul trucks will you need to sustain mine production? Allow one (1) unit spare for
every five (5) unit trucks. (5 points)
 11. Given a diameter of a roll of a conveyor belt and the thickness of the belt, what is the
length of the belt – 2pts.

12. A new open pit mine will be developed under the FTAA of the New Mining Acts of
1995. The operating parameters of this mine are defined as follows:

Annual Mill Capacity                             - 10, 440, 000 MT

Stripping Ratio                                       - 0.77:1

Shovel bucket size                                 - 9.19 cu. M.

Shovel Utilization                                  - 80%

Bucket Fill Factor                                  - 90%

Truck size/payload                                 - 77.10 MT

Truck Fill Factor                                    - 95%

Truck Spot Time                                    - 0.33 min

Load cycle time                                     - 0.50 min

Time efficiency                                      - 50 min / 60 min

Material Specific Gravity                       - 2.5

Compute for the number of power shovels required.

13. Explain the IDS method: Supply own data for the method. Show the variogram and the
sequence of results that can be observed from the data.

14. A currently operating pit copper mine is being reoptimized for pit expansion. The final or
ultimate pt limit will be defined by the following planning and economic parameter

Operating cost per ton                     - Php 140.00

Capital cost per ton milled               -          35.00

Metal prices:

               Pound copper                    - 1.20 USD

               Ounce Gold                      - 380 USD

                Ounce Silver                     - 25 USD

Excise Tax for copper                      - 2%

Conversion rate                                - Php 25/USD

Mill Recovery                                  - 85%

Concentrate Grade:

               Copper                              - 25%

               Gold                                  - 2 grams/MT

               Silver                                 - 50 grams/MT

1 ounce                                             - 31.1035 g

As the chief Mining Engineer, what design cut-off grade will you apply in re-optimizing the
open pit?

15.  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -     8-12 points