Global gold mining: Is technological learning overcoming the declining in ore grades?

Abstract:

Future availability of mineral resources is influenced by two opposed facts. On the one hand, general trends suggest a long-term decline in ore grade, which increases energy consumption in mining industry. But on the other hand there have been technological transitions that might avert rises in energy consumption. The aim of this paper is to become acquainted if technological breakthroughs that have occurred can preclude the rising energy demand for the gold mining industry. As experience is acquired, material and energy efficiency increase and technical changes can be expressed through the so called learning curves. Accordingly, the learning curve approach is applied to several data sets of 17 major gold producing countries. Our results show that technological learning is as dependent on ore grade as it is on mining operation and recovery processes. Applying the learning curve method we obtain average progress ratios varying from +20% to -22%. This survey allows us to have a better understanding of the mining sector and the outcomes of technology evolution together with ore grade declining by means of identifying best mining practices around the world.

Año de publicación:

2013

Keywords:

• Technological learning
• Declining ore grades
• Gold mining
• Learning curves

Fuente:

scopus