(3) What do you have most schedule control over?

For me this is one of the thought provoking concepts to come from this event. Although in theory Short Term Planning Department was responsible for planning from 0-3 months, in reality the Grade Controllers (even though they sat in Mine Production department) were really the VERY short term planners. They were in control of mining equipment on each shift as they were tasked with producing spec quality stockpiles. I would note that this is really is all that everyone is at the mine site for – to produce the required quantity of saleable product!

So the Grade Controller dictated where all mining equipment worked and the Shift Supervisor was charged with maximising equipment productivity, given the equipment working locations. Consequently, as Mine Planning Department, why even try and schedule where the shovels would dig on a short term basis?? The fact is that you are never going to dictate that, as the Grade Controller always will, as they carry responsibility for hitting the mine quality and quantity targets.

Ah, but there is a way you as the mine planner can lead the Grade Controllers where you want them to go (i.e. follow your 3 month plan) and therefore indirectly have the shovels working where you want them to. That is by focussing on the scheduling of the mining activity that is prior to excavation in the mining sequence, which is normally drilling and blasting the material. So if you focus on the scheduling of drill and blast, incorporating the management of broken stocks as per the discussion in Blog (2), the shovels are sure to follow. They have to as they have no choice, if it is not broken they can’t dig it!!

Short Term Planning Department continually fed back to us about how we (Grade Control) were digging the wrong pits and weren’t conforming with the Annual Plan pit quantities, but we had to as it was constantly a struggle to achieve target quality stockpiles (noting that we had 8 quality targets). We had little flexibility and so would dig wherever we had to, in reality following the Annual Plan was very low in priority compared to the heat that came from Marketing as a result of sending out off spec boats. But if Short Term Planning Department concentrated on drilling in the right place, then they could follow the Annual Plan pit quantities, as long as it maintained target broken stocks. If you can’t follow Annual Plan and manage broken stocks to within target, then either this reflects on the fact that Annual Planning is a high level and granular schedule which is typically a monthly time period and so may hide weekly variability (and there is another learning in itself), or that it was a bad Annual Plan in the first place!

And the most ironic issue from all of this? The reality is the drills are probably one of the easiest pieces of equipment for Mine Planning/Tech Services Departments to actually have some control over. The D&B Superintendent or Supervisor generally don’t care too much where they are drilling, as long as they are productive because you’re not constantly moving drills or firing very small shots. So set a workable plan for the drills and blasting crews and there is a high probability it will be followed. Shovel Superintendents and Supervisors on the other hand are often much more particular about where they will dig and I would suggest at many mine sites, much more difficult for Planning Department to have some control over.

So, at your mine site, what equipment on site are you most likely to have some control over as a planner? And if you want to indirectly control an activity, think about focussing on the activity prior to this in the mining sequence. Good luck!!