Strip Mining Phosphate Rock with Large Walking Draglines—A Problem in Operations Research

Abstract

The mining of phosphate rock by strip mining methods is dependent on the effectiveness of a great many managerial decisions which affect the pattern of operations. A mathematical analog was developed to simulate operation of the mining system in such a way as to make possible prediction of the consequences of any alternative decision (in value and cost terms). The results of this study were translated in such a form that they could be applied routinely to the management of mining operations. This study is reported in the three separate phases which the authors believe to characterize the operations-research method (1) formulation of the problem, (2) research and model development, and (3) translation and implementation of results. Operations Research , ISSN 0030-364X, was published as Journal of the Operations Research Society of America from 1952 to 1955 under ISSN 0096-3984.