ABSTRACT
Mine planning is an engineering process that encompasses all of the major technical functions undertaken in sublevel open stoping, with the key performance indicators being safety, dilution control, recovery, productivity, and mining cost. Mine planning provides the means for the safe, efficient, continuous, and economic recovery of ore while considering the life of mine issues and their implications for short-term planning and design. It also helps to maintain the long-term security of production, while ensuring satisfactory economic returns (Trout, 1997).
