Haulage system selection for open pit mines using fuzzy MCDM and the view on energy saving

Abstract

Haulage costs in mining operation are significantly raised with the increase in the diesel prices. Therefore, the movable plans, such as the mobile and semi-mobile haulage system, are the alternatives to replace trucks and reduce haulage costs. Regarding the various criteria used in the selection of the suitable haulage alternatives, a multi-criteria decision-making problem can be considered. In most cases, computing the linguistic variables is not clear for the decision makers. These uncertainties have been interpreted in the decision process, and it is the advantage of the fuzzy set theory. This study focused to propose the best haulage system among fixed crusher and trucks, semi-mobile crusher and mobile crusher plant against 10 criteria in a case study: Kahnuj titanium mine in Iran. To achieve this aim, the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory Model (DEMATEL) together with the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) with fuzzy set theory is used. Also, the haulage systems were classified based on their energy consumption. The results showed that the semi-mobile in-pit crushing system could be the most suitable haulage system for the studied mine. In this plan, 20,478.351 MMBTU energy was saved.