Optimizing Short-Term Mine Planning with
DS GEOVIA MineSched : A Constraint-Based Scheduling Approach

Optimizing Short-Term Mine Planning with DS GEOVIA MineSched

Short-term mine planning is one of the most critical stages of mining operations. While long-term planning determines what, where, and when to mine, short-term planning focuses on how mining activities are executed efficiently on the ground. From monthly production plans down to daily and shift schedules, every operational decision directly impacts productivity, costs, and profitability.

Many mining companies still rely on traditional mine planning workflows. When geological models are updated, mine designs change, production targets shift, or equipment becomes unavailable, planners often revise schedules manually using spreadsheets. This process can take days or even weeks, creating delays, increasing the risk of human error, and causing misalignment between planning and actual field operations.

What is DS GEOVIA MineSched?

DS GEOVIA MineSched simplifies short-term mine planning by using a constraint-based scheduling approach. Instead of manually adjusting schedules, mine planners define operational rules and constraints, allowing the software to automatically generate optimized mining schedules.

This approach enables mining engineers to respond quickly to operational changes while maintaining production efficiency.

Constraint-Based Scheduling for Smarter Mine Planning

MineSched allows planners to model real-world mining operations by defining key operational constraints.

Time-Based Scheduling

Mining schedules can be configured by:

• Monthly
• Weekly
• Daily
• Per shift

This flexibility ensures schedules match the operational planning horizon.

Mining Sequence and Direction

Mining direction and precedence rules ensure that mining follows the correct sequence. Areas cannot be mined until prerequisite sections are completed, improving safety and operational efficiency.

Material Movement

MineSched defines how ore and waste materials move from the pit to their destinations, including:

• Processing plants
• Stockpiles
• Waste dumps
• Other material destinations

This provides better visibility of the entire material handling process.

Haulage Planning

MineSched can accurately model haulage by defining:

• Haul routes
• Truck capacities
• Cycle times

The software then estimates truck requirements for each scheduling period, helping planners optimize equipment utilization.

Equipment Capacity

Production rates are controlled by assigning equipment capacities. This allows planners to evaluate whether production targets are realistic based on available resources.

Tailings and Water Management

MineSched also considers environmental and operational constraints by managing:

• Tailings storage capacity
• Water loss through evaporation
• Dewatering rates

These factors help create practical production schedules.

Recovery Factors

Recovery factors can be assigned to different material types to estimate how much valuable metal can be recovered during processing.

MineSched also calculates process waste and tailings percentages, allowing planners to forecast waste disposal requirements more accurately.

Stockpile Management

Effective stockpile management helps maintain a consistent plant feed.

MineSched enables planners to:

• Control stockpile volumes
• Manage grade ranges
• Balance material availability
• Maintain continuous plant feed

Calendar Constraints

MineSched also accounts for:

• Planned maintenance
• Non-working days
• Equipment shutdowns
• Scheduled plant outages

These constraints improve schedule realism and reduce unexpected disruptions.

Setting Production Targets in MineSched

Beyond operational constraints, DS GEOVIA MineSched enables planners to define measurable production targets.

Target Feed Grade

Mine planners can specify:

• Desired feed grades
• Upper grade limits
• Lower grade limits

This provides flexibility while ensuring ore quality remains within acceptable thresholds.

Grade vs. Tonnage Priority

Operations often need to balance production quantity and ore quality.

MineSched allows planners to prioritize either:

• Maintaining consistent plant feed (tonnage priority), or
• Maximizing ore quality (grade priority)

This flexibility supports different business objectives.

Ore-to-Waste Ratio

Material ratio targets ensure proper stripping activities.

For example, maintaining a 1:2 ore-to-waste ratio means removing two tonnes of waste for every tonne of ore mined.

By combining operational constraints with production targets, MineSched generates schedules that are both practical and optimized.

Scenario Planning for Better Decision-Making

One of the biggest advantages of DS GEOVIA MineSched is scenario analysis.

Mine planners can quickly evaluate questions such as:

• What happens if mining rates increase?
• What if production must be reduced in a specific mining area?
• How should excess equipment capacity be reassigned?
• What if operational priorities change unexpectedly?

Running multiple scheduling scenarios helps identify potential bottlenecks before execution begins. This proactive approach allows mining teams to evaluate trade-offs, minimize risks, and select the most reliable production schedule.

Benefits of Using DS GEOVIA MineSched

Using DS GEOVIA MineSched for short-term mine planning provides several advantages:

• Faster schedule generation
• Reduced manual planning effort
• Improved scheduling accuracy
• Fewer human errors
• Better production target achievement
• Improved resource utilization
• More reliable budgeting
• Enhanced operational decision-making

Because schedules can be updated quickly, mining operations become more responsive to changing conditions.

Smarter Short-Term Mine Planning Starts Here

Whether managing surface or underground mining operations, every mine planner aims to create schedules that are realistic, achievable, and aligned with operational goals.

With its intuitive planning tools, rapid scenario generation, and seamless integration with leading geology and mine design software, DS GEOVIA MineSched empowers mining engineers to plan with greater confidence. By automating complex scheduling tasks, MineSched delivers greater clarity, improved control, and valuable time savings.

As the Philippine partner of Dassault Systèmes, Paramina International Inc. helps mining companies maximize the value of DS GEOVIA MineSched and other industry-leading mining solutions.

Contact Paramina International Inc.

Ready to improve your short-term mine planning process?

📧 Email: paramina_solutions@paramina.com

Contact our team today for a free consultation and discover how DS GEOVIA MineSched can optimize your mining operations.