Objectives

• To summarize the use of Lerchs-Grossman

method in open pit optimization
• To demonstrate open pit optimization using
2D Lerchs-Grossman method
2D LERCHS-GROSSMAN METHOD
A Computer Assisted Method of Designing
Optimum Pit on a Vertical Section
 Designing
Open Pits

Manual Computer
Method Method

Computer-
Automated
Assisted

LERCHS-
GROSSMAN
Lerchs-Grossman
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGE

• it eliminates trial-and- • ultimate pit resulting

error process of from the smoothing of
manually designing the all the vertical sections
pit in each section is probably not optimal

• it is convenient for
computer processing
($2) ($2) ($4) ($2) ($2) ($1) ($2) ($3) ($4) ($4) ($3)

($5) ($4) ($6) ($3) ($2) ($2) ($3) ($2) ($4) ($5) ($5)

($6) ($5) ($7) $6 $13 ($2) ($5) ($4) ($7) ($4) ($6)

($6) ($6) ($8) ($8) $17 $8 $5 ($6) ($8) ($9) ($7)

($7) ($7) ($8) ($8) $6 $21 $5 ($8) ($8) ($9) ($7)

($7) ($9) ($9) ($8) ($5) $22 ($8) ($8) ($8) ($9) ($8)

($8) ($9) ($9) ($9) ($8) $10 ($9) ($9) ($9) ($9) ($9)
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

1 -$2 -$2 -$4 -$2 -$2 -$1 -$2 -$3 -$4 -$4 -$3

2 -$5 -$4 -$6 -$3 -$2 -$2 -$3 -$2 -$4 -$5 -$5

3 -$6 -$5 -$7 $6 $13 -$2 -$5 -$4 -$7 -$4 -$6

4 -$6 -$6 -$8 -$8 $17 $8 $5 -$6 -$8 -$9 -$7

5 -$7 -$7 -$8 -$8 $6 $21 $5 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$7

6 -$7 -$9 -$9 -$8 -$5 $22 -$8 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$8

7 -$8 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$8 $10 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9

Figure 1. Vertical section showing the net value* of each block.

*net value if the block is mined and processed independently

 STEP 1: Add the values down each column of blocks.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

1 -$2 -$2 -$4 -$2 -$2 -$1 -$2 -$3 -$4 -$4 -$3

2 -$5 -$4 -$6 -$3 -$2 -$2 -$3 -$2 -$4 -$5 -$5

3 -$6 -$5 -$7 $6 $13 -$2 -$5 -$4 -$7 -$4 -$6

4 -$6 -$6 -$8 -$8 $17 $8 $5 -$6 -$8 -$9 -$7

-2 -2
5 -$7 -$7 -$8 -$8 $6 $21 $5 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$7
-7 -6
6 -$7 -$9 -$9 -$8 -$5 $22 -$8 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$8
-13 -11
7 -$8 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$8 $10 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9
-19 -17
-26 -24
-33 -33
-41 -42
The upper value in each block represents the cumulative value
of the material from each block to the surface.
STEP 2: From the top block in the left column and working
down each column, put an arrow pointing to the left-adjacent
block with the highest bottom value.

-4
-2
3

-4
-2
3

-2
-4
3
STEPbottom
The 2: Fromvalue
the top
in each
blockblock
in the
represents
left columntheand
total
working
net value
of (1) material
down each column,
from put
the an
block,
arrow
(2) pointing
the blocksto in
the
the
left-adjacent
column
and (3)with
block thethe
blocks
highest
in the
bottom
pit profile
value.to the left of the block.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
-2 -2 -4 -2 -2 -1 -2 -3 -4 -4 -3
x
-2 -2
-7 -6 -10 -5 -4 -3 -5 -5 -8 -9 -8
x
-8
-13 -11 -17 1 9 -5 -10 -9 -15 -13 -14
x
-19 -17 -25 -7 26 3 -5 -15 -23 -22 -21
x
-26 -24 -33 -15 32 24 0 -23 -31 -31 -28
x
-33 -33 -42 -23 27 46 -8 -31 -39 -40 -36
x
-41 -42 -51 -32 19 56 -17 -40 -48 -49 -45
x

Upper Value Bottom Value of the block

Bottom Value = of the block + pointed by the arrow
= -2 + 0
= -2
STEP 3: Trace the arrows back to get the outline of the pit
starting from the top row block with the maximum total
value.
00 01 02 03 04 05 06 0
7 80 90 0
10 0
11
-2 -2 -4 -2 -2 -1 -2 -3 -4 -4 -3
x
1 -$2 -2 -$2 -2 -$4 -4 -$2 -2 -$2 -2 -$1 -1 -$2 -2 -$3 2 -$4 -1 -$4 13 -$3 10
-7 -6 -10 -5 -4 -3 -5 -5 -8 -9 -8
x
2 -$5 -$4 -8 -$6-12 -$3 -9 -$2 -6 -$2 -3 -$3 5 -$2 3 -$4 17 -$5 8 -$5
-13 -11 -17 1 9 -5 -10 -9 -15 -13 -14
x
3 -$6 -$5 -$7-25 $6 -11 $13 0 -$2 10 -$5 8 -$4 25 -$7 16 -$4 -$6
-19 -17 -25 -7 26 3 -5 -15 -23 -22 -21
x
4 -$6 -$6 -$8 -$8-32 $17 15 $8 18 $5 34 -$6 31 -$8 -$9 -$7
-26 -24 -33 -15 32 24 0 -23 -31 -31 -28
x
5 -$7 -$7 -$8 -$8 $6 0 $21 39 $5 46 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$7
-33 -33 -42 -23 27 46 -8 -31 -39 -40 -36
x
6 -$7 -$9 -$9 -$8 -$5 $22 46 -$8 -$8 -$8 -$9 -$8
-41 -42 -51 -32 19 56 -17 -40 -48 -49 -45
x
7 -$8 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$8 $10 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9 -$9

The optimal pit for this example is $13.

These steps are repeated to all the vertical sections.

Smoothing, or fitting together of all the vertical sections is

done manually by the engineer.