Computer modelling of the geology of the Coal Mountain Mine

CIM Bulletin, Vol. 75, No. 844, 1982

M. LYTLE, Esso Resources Canada Ltd. Calgary, Alberta

The Corbin area of southeastern British Columbia has been a coal mining area since 1908. Byron Creek Collieries Ltd. has operated its Coal Mountain Mine in this area from 1974 until the present. In February 1981, this company was purchased by Esso Resources Canada Ltd.Coal Mountain is structurally complex and standard computer algorithms are not applicable to model the overturned synclinal structures and faulted bedding surfaces. This paper discusses two approaches used by Esso Resources staff to model the geology of Coal Mountain.The first approach projects digitized cross-section data along trend to develop a large data base which correctly approximates the shape of the structure. The spatial orientation of the structure is corrected by merging the generated data set with drill-hole data. The second approach uses digitized cross-section and bench-plan geology to generate a block model of the coal reserve.

Keywords: Open-pit mining, Modelling, Computer modelling, Coal Mountain mine, Coai mining, Bench plans.