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The purpose of this paper is twofold: an approach is proposed to determine the optimum replacement time for shovel teeth; and a risk-quantification approached is developed to derive a confidence interval for replacement time.

The risk-quantification approach is based on a combination of Monte Carlo simulation and Markov chain. Monte Carlo simulation whereby the wear of shovel teeth is probabilistically monitored over time is used.

Results show that a proper replacement strategy has potential to increase operation efficiency and the uncertainties associated with this strategy can be managed.

The failure time distribution of a tooth is assumed to remain “identically distributed and independent.” Planned tooth replacements are always done when the shovel is not in operation (e.g. between a shift change).

The proposed approach can be effectively used to determine a replacement strategy, along with the level of confidence level, for preventive maintenance planning.

The originality of the paper rests on developing a novel approach to monitor wear on mining shovels probabilistically. Uncertainty associated with production targets is quantified.

This study aims to address the critical issue of machine breakdowns in industrial settings, which jeopardize operation economy, worker safety, productivity and environmental compliance. It explores the efficacy of a predictive maintenance program in mitigating these risks by proactively identifying and minimizing failures, thereby optimizing maintenance activities for higher efficiency.

The article implements Logical Analysis of Data (LAD) as a predictive maintenance approach on an industrial machine maintenance dataset. The aim is to (1) detect failure presence and (2) determine specific failure modes. Data resampling is applied to address asymmetrical class distribution.

LAD demonstrates its interpretability by extracting patterns facilitating the failure diagnosis. Results indicate that, in the first case study, LAD exhibits a high recall value for failure records within a balanced dataset. In the second case study involving smaller-scale datasets, enhancement across all evaluation metrics is observed when data is balanced and remains robust in the presence of imbalance, albeit with nuanced differences in between.

This research highlights the importance of transparency in predictive maintenance programs. The research shows the effectiveness of LAD in detecting failures and identifying specific failure modes from diagnostic sensor data. This maintenance strategy exhibits its distinction by offering explainable failure patterns for maintenance teams. The patterns facilitate the failure cause-effect analysis and serve as the core for failure prediction. Hence, this program has the potential to enhance machine reliability, availability and maintainability in industrial environments.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a decision-making tool on where to send mining parcels extracted in such a way as to minimize losses arising from mis-classification. The problem is complicated because actual values of mining parcels cannot be known and the decision is made on the basis of the estimation/simulations of the parcels generated from sparse data.

The loss minimization associated with mis-classification is formulated as a non-linear optimization problem and solved by successive mixed integer programming. By assigning reasonable values to some variables making problem non-linear, the problem is converted to a mixed integer programming (MIP) and is solved by a standard MIP optimization engine.

A case study was conducted to see the performance of the proposed approach on a deposit with gold and silver variables. The proposed approach was also compared with conventional grade control approaches. The results showed that the approach proposed could be used for solving grade quality control problem.

Grade quality control problem is well-known problem and there is no effective solution approach. This paper proposes to solve the problem through standard operation research software. As such, mine planner and engineers have a means to deal with grade quality problem in mining operations.

The paper formulates multi-variable grade quality control problem as an optimization problem on the contrary to previous one-shot approaches. This can increase profit and operation efficiency. The research also use target grades rather than cut-off grade posing problems in mining operations.

During operation, mines experience safety, reliability, environmental and financial problems. In order to avoid these problems or idle capacities, mining operations should be performed within the specified reliability level of the system. Therefore, mining sub‐systems such as drilling, blasting, loading, hauling, ventilation, hoisting and supporting should be designed and maintained carefully. In this context, maintenance time causes a critical optimization problem in mines. The purpose of this paper is to address these issues.

The problem is formulated as a non‐linear optimization problem and solved by genetic algorithms. A case study is conducted to demonstrate to the performance of approach for an underground operation.

The results show that the approach can be used to determine the best action time.

The approach can be applicable to different mining methods in more sophisticated sub‐systems.

The paper recommends a genetic algorithmic approach to make a decision on optimal timing of maintenance of a mine.

This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the existing literature on uncertainty in underground mining operations, using a bibliometric and systematic analysis covering the period from 1975 to 2024.

To achieve this, the following questions were addressed using a mixed-method approach involving bibliometrics, text mining and content analysis: How has the field of uncertainty research in underground mining operations evolved? What are the most prominent research topics and trends in uncertainty in underground mining operations? and What are the possible directions for future research on uncertainty in underground mining operations?

As a result, bibliometric networks of 327 journal articles from the Scopus database were created and examined, the main research topics were underground mining management; rock mechanics; operational optimization; and stochastic systems. Finally, the inclusive investigation of uncertainty in underground mining operations and its prominent patterns can serve as a basis for real-time direction for new research and as a tool to improve underground mining activities by implementing advanced technology for innovative practices and optimizing operational efficiency. This is fundamental to identify unknown variables that impair the planning, operation, safety and economic viability of underground mines.

This research is 100% original because there is no review research on the uncertainty present in underground mining operations.