LES MINES SELBAIE STORY: Open pit mine

CIM Bulletin, Vol. 83, No. 936, 1990

Clermont Pageau, superintendent, and Denis Caron, chief engineer, Les Mines Selbaie, Joutel, Quebec

This paper describes the operations of the open pit and emphasizes particular aspects of Les Mines Selbaie. The open pit as well as its related services were incorporated into a complex which includes an underground mine and a concentrator. The equipment was chosen with the objective of auto-sufficiency during each phase of mining. The paper outlines the organization and the methods used in each step of mining, notably: drilling, blasting, loading, transporting and crushing. The responsibilities of the Engineering Department are also outlined from the conception of the open pit to the latest follow-up methods. A short resume of the results which have been obtained as well as suggestions for improvement are provided.

Keywords: Les Mines Selbaie, Open pit mining, Mining methods, Equipment.