Analysis of the Short Fall in Production Target and Specific Cost of Unit Operations in National Iron Ore Mining Company NIOMCO, Itakpe.
Abstract
This paper practically analyzed comprehensively the problems encountered in the production of run-of-mine (ROM) ore in National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO), Itakpe. This work x rayed the possible reasons for the shortfall in production target of one million ton per annum set by the management in 1992 despite the huge financial commitment on staff welfare, incentives and bonuses. Against this back drop, a research was conducted to assess the productivity of the equipment fleet of each unit operation with a view to finding out whether the equipment fleet in any of the unit operations was creating the bottle-neck in the production system. The methodology of this research was based on the assessment of the productivity of the equipment fleet of each unit operation, notably drilling and blasting, mucking and haulage operations with a view to finding out whether the equipment fleet in any of the unit operations was creating the bottle-neck in the production value chain. The equipment involved was three rock drills (1 ROC 608 and 2 ROC 404) for drilling operation; and five mucking and haulage facilities respectively. These include 2 mucking equipment (950C) and 3 haulage facilities (R35). In the final analysis, it was discovered that even though the equipment fleet in drilling and blasting unit and in the loading operations unit could produce well above one million tons of run-of-mine ore per annum, the equipment fleet in the haulage unit were grossly inadequate. This explains why the one million tons target set in 1992 was not achieved. The graphic details of the production level of the fleets were, drilling equipment fleet produced approximately 1.84 million tons; loading equipment produced approximately 5.52 million tons; while the haulage produced about 0.6 million tons. The specific cost of unit operations for the production of a ton of run-of-mine ore was found to be N60.
Â
Keywords: Equipment Fleet, Run-of-mine, Specific Cost, Production Target, Unit Operation, Haulage Equipment
References
Agoshkov M., Borisov S. and Boyarsky V. (1988): Mining of ores and Non-Metallic Minerals (English translation). Mir
Publishers. Pp. 11-24. 229-246. 270-314.
Aso, I. and Ajayi, O.A. (1999): Introductory to Mining. Vol. 1 Kenlua Paperback and Omabala Press Ltd. P. 13.
Bajpayee, T.S., Verakis, H.C. and Lobb, T.E. (2004): An analysis and prevention of fly-rock accident in Surface Blasting
Operations, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Washington.
Bergman, P. (2005): Optimization of Fragmentation and Communition at Boliden Mineral, Atic Operation, Lulea
University of Technology, P. 28.
Borisade, A.J. (1987): Blasting, the Itakpe case, in NIOMCO News. April – June edition, Pp. 3 and 4.
Budin, B., Newton, G. and Thompson, J. (2003): Optimization of Bench Blasting for Hard Rock Quarries. Colorado
School of Mines, P. 4.
Fiscor S. (2004): Iron Ore Markets Regain Strenth. & Operating Strategies In: Engineering and Mining Journal. February. Pp. 2 & 35.
Hartman, H.L. and Howard, L. (1987): Introductory Mining Engineering. Pp. 74-84.
Nwosu, J.I. (1994): Estimation of Optimum Mine Limit and Production Rate for Complex Ore Deposits. Unpublished
PhD Thesis, St. Petersburg Mining Institute, Russia. Pp. 115-165.
Rodgers, J.A. (1999): Measurement Technology in Mining. The Ensign-Bickford Company, Connecticut.
Saliu, M.A. and Akande, J.M. (2007): Drilling and Blasting Pattern selection for Fragmentation Optimization in Raycon Quarry,
Ondo State. Journal for Engineering and Applied Sciences 2 (12). P. 1768.
Shuey S. A. (1999). Trucks and Loaders: mining's All-purpose Earthmovers In: E&MJ. September, 1999. Pp ww17 –
ww22.
Thomas L. J. (1973): An Introduction to Mining. Hicks Smith & Sons Publications pp. 96-145.
Umunnakwe, P. (1988): Iron Ore for the Nigerian Steel Sector. NIOMCO News, June Edition. Pp. 2-15.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright
With the submission of a manuscript, the corresponding author confirms that the manuscript is not under consideration by another journal. With the acceptance of a manuscript, the Journal reserves the exclusive right of publication and dissemination of the information contained in the article. The veracity of the paper and all the claims therein is solely the opinion of the authors not the journal.
