Research lines
The Program is organized according to the following research lines:
- Evaluation of Mineral Deposits and Mining Planning: in this line, research is carried out regarding the characterization, modeling and classification of mineral resources and ore reserves, based on sampling information, as well as the optimization and scheduling of the reserves, considering design, operation, environmental and geometallurgical restrictions, and the three types of uncertainty involved: geological, operational and market.
- Mining Technology, Rock Mechanics and Automation: in this line, research is carried out regarding the geotechnical and geomechanical characterization and modeling of the rock mass, the challenges and problems of mine preparation, design and operation, and the integration of new automation and robotics technologies, security and Big Data, both in open pit mining and in selective and massive underground mining.
- Geology-Mining-Metallurgy: in this line, tools and models are developed to characterize the geological variability, mainly associated with ore and gangue mineralogy, and to relate it to the response of the ore to the physical and chemical processes of the extraction and mineral processing stages, as well as the waste management strategies derived from such a processing. In this way an integrated and holistic vision of the management of the original ore is established, from its extraction to the disposal of the gangue material and its repercussions, considering sustainability principles.