SMALL FLEET MINING ULITIZATION TO INCREASE MINE RECOVERY OF NICKEL LATERITE

PROCEEDINGS JOINT CONVENTION BALI 2007
The 32^nd HAGI, The 36^th IAGI, and The 29^th IATMI Annual Conference and Exhibition

SMALL FLEET MINING ULITIZATION TO INCREASE
MINE RECOVERY OF NICKEL LATERITE

Rizal M Baslang, Mercy Balebu, Agus Margana^1
1Ore Control- Quality Assurance, PT INCO Sorowako, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
ABSTRACT

The nickel laterite ore profile is very irregular which resulting big chance of ore dilution during mining. Small fleet utilization is the last stage of mining in areas PT INCO after big fleet cannot operate efficiently; the purpose of small fleet utilization is to reduce dilution and increasing ROM mining recovery in specific area. Operate of small fleet mining was covering area which have thin ore layer (the ore thickness less or equal than 2 m), irregular bottom ore layer especially remnant big fleet area, and ore zone associated with intensive silica vein.

The equipment for running small fleet consist of backhoe PC200 (0.93 M³), small dozer D 65 or equivalent, Truck (20 M³). The Ore will be hauled maximum 2 Km distance and dumped into pit rim or rompile, then big fleet will handle to screening station for producing SSP. Grade control sampling procedures during mining stripping have a similarity when execute the big fleet and each of fleet will be dedicated one grade control sampler.

Small fleet ROM production in 2006 was 1.2 M tones (Total production include big fleet and small fleet is 14.6 M) that mean small fleet has contribution to increase mine recovery 8.6% with grades 1.81 %Ni, 18.16% FE, and 2.03SM.