Mining method selection by integrated AHP and PROMETHEE method.

Selecting the best mining method among many alternatives is a multicriteria decision making problem. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the implementation of an integrated approach that employs AHP and PROMETHEE together for selecting the most suitable mining method for the "Coka Marin" underground mine in Serbia. The related problem includes five possible mining methods and eleven criteria to evaluate them. Criteria are accurately chosen in order to cover the most important parameters that impact on the mining method selection, such as geological and geotechnical properties, economic parameters and geographical factors. The AHP is used to analyze the structure of the mining method selection problem and to determine weights of the criteria, and PROMETHEE method is used to obtain the final ranking and to make a sensitivity analysis by changing the weights. The results have shown that the proposed integrated method can be successfully used in solving mining engineering problems.

Investigation of the correlation dependence between SO2 emission concentration and meteorological parameters: case study-Bor (Serbia).

This paper presents the investigation of the air-pollution management possibility in Bor (Serbia) using statistical analyses of the correlation dependence of SO(2) pollution concentration and meteorological parameters. This kind of approach allows data to determine the shape of time trends; models serial correlation and dependence on covariance; and provides statistical analyses of data. Air quality control in the area of Bor is measured at four monitoring stations: City park; Institute of Mining and Metallurgy; Jugopetrol oil logistic centre and Brezonik suburb. There is also a meteorological station near the aforementioned institute that measures temperature; air humidity; atmosphere pressure; wind speed and direction. The results received from all monitoring stations are processed by the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy in Bor. The data from the reported documents were used for statistical analyses, for determining the correlation between SO(2) emission concentration and meteorological parameters. The source of SO(2) emissions is the local copper smelter, built within the town of Bor from 1961-1963. However, the disposition of the pollutant concentration is influenced by meteorological parameters (air humidity, atmosphere pressure, speed and wind direction). The successful application of these statistical analyses in this paper points to a possibility of its usage in air pollution studies.

Optimizing the SO2 total emission control strategy: case study-Bor (Serbia).

A geographic information system (GIS)--based on spatial analysis--was developed for optimizing the SO(2) total emission cut scheme on air pollution in Bor (Serbia), combined with Models-3 modeling system and linear programming model. GIS is mainly used for establishing a multifactor assessment model to quantitatively divide environmental functional zone and also used for selecting control sites in linear programming model. A linear programming model was developed to optimize the emission determined by SO(2) control measures. According to the obtained results, some large emissions need to be cut for about 50%. The improvement of the ecological environment is urgently needed for controlling the background SO(2) pollution in Bor.

Multicriteria ranking of workplaces regarding working conditions in a mining company.

Ranking of workplaces with respect to working conditions is very significant for each company. It indicates the positions where employees are most exposed to adverse effects resulting from the working environment, which endangers their health. This article presents the results obtained for 12 different production workplaces in the copper mining and smelting complex RTB Bor - 'Veliki Krivelj' open pit, based on six parameters measured regularly which defined the following working environment conditions: air temperature, light, noise, dustiness, chemical hazards and vibrations. The ranking of workplaces has been performed by PROMETHEE/GAIA. Additional optimization of workplaces is done by PROMETHEE V with the given limits related to maximum permitted values for working environment parameters. The obtained results indicate that the most difficult workplace is on the excavation location (excavator operator). This method can be successfully used for solving similar kinds of problems, in order to improve working conditions.