Strategic Approaches to Define the Production Rate in Conceptual Projects of Critical Raw Materials
Mining projects are intricate, requiring significant time and investment for feasibility studies, despite a low likelihood of reaching execution. Accurate project factors can optimize costs across the study, execution, and operation phases. This work proposes a strategic approach to define the produ...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| author | Lucas Zucchi Silva Anna Luiza Marques Ayres da Silva |
| author_facet | Lucas Zucchi Silva Anna Luiza Marques Ayres da Silva |
| author_sort | Lucas Zucchi Silva |
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| description | Mining projects are intricate, requiring significant time and investment for feasibility studies, despite a low likelihood of reaching execution. Accurate project factors can optimize costs across the study, execution, and operation phases. This work proposes a strategic approach to define the production rate in conceptual projects of critical raw materials, based on well-established formulae from Taylor, Long, and Singer, focusing on copper, zinc, and lead. Copper and zinc are crucial for renewable energy systems and low-carbon technologies, while lead supports energy storage applications. A dataset containing mine production and mineral resources from several mine projects, gathered from a specialized global company, was used to create a production rate equation and then compared using an adherence indicator to validate the formulae. The best adherence indicator from earlier studies was 59%. Copper projects did not show good adherence to the new formulae. Zinc and lead projects showed very good results, generating three formulae with good adherence numbers (above 70%), and they can be taken as a reference to calculate the production rate of new open-pit and underground mining projects. These findings offer a reliable strategic approach for estimating production rates in early-stage zinc and lead projects, enhancing the efficiency of the conceptual study phase in mining. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ef706866f5f04445adde3b00ef744c11 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2079-9276 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Resources |
| spelling | doaj-art-ef706866f5f04445adde3b00ef744c112025-01-24T13:48:15ZengMDPI AGResources2079-92762025-01-011411110.3390/resources14010011Strategic Approaches to Define the Production Rate in Conceptual Projects of Critical Raw MaterialsLucas Zucchi Silva0Anna Luiza Marques Ayres da Silva1Mining and Petroleum Engineering Department, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Mello Moraes, 2373—Cidade Universitária—Butantã CEP, São Paulo 05508-030, BrazilMining and Petroleum Engineering Department, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Mello Moraes, 2373—Cidade Universitária—Butantã CEP, São Paulo 05508-030, BrazilMining projects are intricate, requiring significant time and investment for feasibility studies, despite a low likelihood of reaching execution. Accurate project factors can optimize costs across the study, execution, and operation phases. This work proposes a strategic approach to define the production rate in conceptual projects of critical raw materials, based on well-established formulae from Taylor, Long, and Singer, focusing on copper, zinc, and lead. Copper and zinc are crucial for renewable energy systems and low-carbon technologies, while lead supports energy storage applications. A dataset containing mine production and mineral resources from several mine projects, gathered from a specialized global company, was used to create a production rate equation and then compared using an adherence indicator to validate the formulae. The best adherence indicator from earlier studies was 59%. Copper projects did not show good adherence to the new formulae. Zinc and lead projects showed very good results, generating three formulae with good adherence numbers (above 70%), and they can be taken as a reference to calculate the production rate of new open-pit and underground mining projects. These findings offer a reliable strategic approach for estimating production rates in early-stage zinc and lead projects, enhancing the efficiency of the conceptual study phase in mining.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/14/1/11open-pit miningunderground miningconceptual mining projectsmineral resourcesproduction ratecritical raw materials |
| spellingShingle | Lucas Zucchi Silva Anna Luiza Marques Ayres da Silva Strategic Approaches to Define the Production Rate in Conceptual Projects of Critical Raw Materials Resources open-pit mining underground mining conceptual mining projects mineral resources production rate critical raw materials |
| title | Strategic Approaches to Define the Production Rate in Conceptual Projects of Critical Raw Materials |
| title_full | Strategic Approaches to Define the Production Rate in Conceptual Projects of Critical Raw Materials |
| title_fullStr | Strategic Approaches to Define the Production Rate in Conceptual Projects of Critical Raw Materials |
| title_full_unstemmed | Strategic Approaches to Define the Production Rate in Conceptual Projects of Critical Raw Materials |
| title_short | Strategic Approaches to Define the Production Rate in Conceptual Projects of Critical Raw Materials |
| title_sort | strategic approaches to define the production rate in conceptual projects of critical raw materials |
| topic | open-pit mining underground mining conceptual mining projects mineral resources production rate critical raw materials |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/14/1/11 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lucaszucchisilva strategicapproachestodefinetheproductionrateinconceptualprojectsofcriticalrawmaterials AT annaluizamarquesayresdasilva strategicapproachestodefinetheproductionrateinconceptualprojectsofcriticalrawmaterials |