Indicator based decision making tool for mine pit rehabilitation

Abstract

A structured approach based on indicators has been developed as a technical tool to aid the decision making process of mine pit rehabilitation. The tool is a generic one and can be applied universally. The indicators identified and chosen are based on a combination of field experience and wide-ranging discussions with experts in the allied fields. Two-fold decision spectrum with water storage in the mine pit on one hand and backfilling the mine pit with rejects on the other hand has been adopted while choosing indicators. Each of these indicators was assigned a weighty and importance ratings for the variables based on the Delphi technique (consensus approach). In Phase I the total indicator score derived by summing the individual indicator scores obtained by multiplication of importance ratings with the corresponding indicator weight is used as decision-making criterion. The phase-I derived decision classes related to aquatic use of the pit lake are further subjected to safety checks in phase-II using three additional safety indicator parameters. The two aquatic use classes of phase-I hence get reclassified into three groups as in phase-I after the safety check End use options of the rehabilitated mine pit either with water or with backfill have been included as an integral part ofthe indicators.