Comprehensive mine planning: an integral component to cement plant operations

Comprehensive mine planning incorporates multiple components of the quarry, including its physical, environmental, regulatory, and geologic settings, along with operations and maintenance. In concert with the market-driven demands of the cement plant, the quarry management must have adequate planning to respond to changes in the market and be prepared to meet short and long-term demands for production stone. In order to be successful, a mine plan must be based on representative and reliable data, and be user friendly to all personnel involved in the production of cement. A mine plan must be revisited and updated on a regular basis, as market-driven factors, snf/or the physical, environmental, regulatory, and operational settings around the quarry change. Single component quarry planning (planning only a single function within the quarry) can lead to inefficient and costly operations, duplicate efforts, regulatory violations, and permitting delays. Comprehensive mine planning that is performed early in the life of the quarry, and is regularly updated, is a valuable tool in determining the limiting function in the quarry, uncovering problems prior to "emergencies", allowing for cost-effective management and maximizes the future potential of the quarry. Moreover, these plans have the potential to provide leverage for cement plant managers to improve plant-side operations.