Designing a model for loading, transportation, and unloading in surface mining: the case of Geita Gold Mining-Mwanza Tanzania

Geita Gold Mining’s (GGM), is using the single mode of material transport from pits to the central ROM pad which is trucks and shovel system. Currently the management of GGM cannot predict production; time consumed and amount of material to be hauled before real operation. Methodology applied was simulation modeling. It was possible to develop simulation model through gathering of data and building, verifying and validating the model, and analyzing its productivity. The model includes truck being loaded by an available loader and travels to the unloading area where it dumps its load, and returns to the loading area. The required capacities of Material handling have been observed to range between thirty to thirty five trucks where shovel utilization is 99.86% which is maximum shovel utilization. In our simulation model the trucks which have been used is of 30 tons. It is concluded to use thirty trucks in order to have maximum shovel utilization once the capacity of trucks is of 30 tons. By using truck of 30 tons amount of material hauled were 122,456 tons of waste and 36,665 tons of ore. In order to have maximum production with a given capacity of material handling systems truck capacity would be increased from30 to 150 tons. Where amount of material hauled is will be 172,162 tons of ore and 206,595 tons of waste.