Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM)-based Simulation for Haulage Fleet Equipment Selection, A Case Study of Zaghdare Copper Mine

Generally, mine haulage operation is taken into account as one of the substantial links in the value chain of mineral production. Indeed, the haulage operation consists of about fifty percent of the operating costs in open-pit mines. Therefore, a comprehensive model should be developed for evaluating haulage operation considering principal indicators. Since there are various qualitative and quantitative factors affecting the haulage equipment selection, it is essential to develop a holistic and novel approach for the decision-making process. In this study, a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM)-based simulation is proposed for haulage equipment selection, which is a two-step approach. In the first step, an integrated approach is developed based on fuzzy and rough set theories. In the second step, a discrete-event simulation is established for characterizing the haulage operation system. Thus, the optimal size and number of equipment are specified by evaluating several what-if scenarios. Zaghdare Copper Mine is considered as a case study for assessing the performance of the proposed algorithm. The results of the multi-criteria decision-making process revealed that the hydraulic excavator-truck system is associated with the best haulage system in this mine. A discrete-event simulation is developed for configuring and analyzing the selected haulage system. Different what-if scenarios were developed based on changing haulage distances and equipment availability. Consequently, the optimal number of trucks was computed for each scenario. The results revealed that an increase in the availability of the equipment (from 80 to 90%) leads to the reduction of the number of the required trucks.