Abstract The traditionally and widely used Lerchs-Grossmann algorithm presents well-known limitations that newer propositions attempt to overcome. The direct block schedule (DBS) methodology, which has gained relevance with computational advances, obtains the final pit as a natural result of production sequencing, different from Lerchs-Grossmann-based algorithms. This process flow applies constraints in the final pit definition stage attempting to provide a more realistic result and to minimize risks. Slope instability is a common and inherent risk to open pit mining and may affect the project's net present value (NPV). A study of the impacts of slope angle variations on safety indexes and final pit NPV provides an auxiliary tool for the overall slope angle definition process. This article presents a case study in which the effects of variations of the overall slope angle on the safety factor (SF) and project NPV were analyzed. A total of 25 pits were generated by each studied final pit definition methodology, and each pit had the sections with the varied slope angles analyzed in the stability assessment, resulting in a total of 150 slopes analyzed. A comparison between the results obtained by the two different methodologies implemented in commercial software is presented. The results show no relationship between the NPV and the overall slope angle using the DBS methodology. An analysis of the results for each geotechnical sector obtained by the traditional methodology was conducted and may contribute to the trade-off analysis between the best slope angle to achieve a reasonable SF and the maximum NPV.

Abstract The design of room-and-pillar mines relies on the correct estimation of the safety indicator of the underground structures formed by the excavation of drifts. Thus, the study of the geomechanical behavior is of vital importance. The mathematical models play an important role in the identification of problematic areas and allows different configurations to be tested in a safe manner. This article presents the development and application of a flexible and automatic routine to quantify the safety of room-and-pillar mines in terms of the safety factor of pillar and room convergence. The commercial software package FLAC3D was used to implement a computation routine in FISH language that can automatically represent the main characteristics of the geomechanical conditions, lithology and geometric features of a room-and-pillar project in a fast and accurate manner. A case study was performed on a manganese ore mine in order to demonstrate the capabilities of the developed routine.