Friday, Jul 24, 2026 The claims desk. Receipts included. POWERED BY LENZ
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SCIENCE

The Claim

Artificial intelligence methods can be used to select the optimal mining method for a given mineral deposit.

The Short Version

Published mining-engineering research shows that AI methods, including expert systems, fuzzy logic, and neural networks, have been used to recommend or select the most suitable mining method for specific deposits. The claim is supported as a capability statement. The main caveat is that “optimal” usually means best under defined criteria and constraints, not an absolute universal optimum.

Caveats

  • “Optimal” in this context usually means the highest-ranked feasible option under chosen geologic, technical, and economic criteria, not a single universally best method.
  • AI outputs depend heavily on input data quality, training data availability, and the decision criteria encoded in the model.
  • These systems are typically decision-support tools; they assist engineering judgment rather than guaranteeing the best real-world outcome in every case.

The Receipts

  1. A Decision Support System for Underground Mining Method Selection

    Semantic Scholar

  2. An AI-Based Approach for Developing a Recommendation System for Mining Method Selection

    Semantic Scholar (conference paper PDF)

  3. A fuzzy techno-financial methodology for selecting an optimal mining method

    International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment (Taylor & Francis)

  4. Deep Learning in Mining and Mineral Processing Operations

    IFAC World Congress 2020

  5. Mining method selection by AHP approach

    Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy

  6. Underground mining method selection by decision making tools

    Archives of Mining Sciences (De Gruyter)

  7. Applying artificial intelligence for optimal production scheduling and phase design in open pit mining

    Mine Planning and Equipment Selection 2019 (ACG / University of Western Australia)

  8. Application of artificial neural networks in selection of underground mining methods

    IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science

  9. New machine learning tools uncover hidden mineral resources in complex terrains

    CORDIS (European Commission)

  10. AI: enabling new possibilities in mining

    The Intelligent Miner

+ 3 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

artificial intelligenceMining Method Selection

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