ABSTRACT
Heat plays a critical role in underground mine scheduling regarding the timing of various activities necessary for the preparation of an area, the subsequent extraction of ore, and, if required, the stabilization of the area after the ore has been extracted. The execution of these activities requires equipment that generates heat and, if left unchecked, can threaten the safety of mine workers. Projections of the heat flow in underground mines inform operationally feasible production schedules and more accurate profits. This research develops a validated heat model that is capable of predicting air temperatures and that can be incorporated into a conventional production scheduling model. An underground mine containing over 2,900 activities dispersed throughout 16 mine levels serves as a case study.
