Mining Optimization Laboratory

Mining Optimization Laboratory (MOL) is an industrial research consortium at the School of Mining and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Alberta. The MOL is a research consortium directly sponsored by industry members who exclusively receive research results. Our research focuses on two major themes: ● Mine Planning and Design Optimization, applications of operations research. ● Simulation/Optimization of Mining Systems. We use operations research and advanced analytical methods such as mathematical modeling, optimization, discrete event/continuous simulation, and intelligent agents to arrive optimal or near-optimal solutions to complex, large-scale mine planning/operations decision-making problems. The objectives of the MOL research group are to: ● Train highly qualified personnel (HQP) in the area of mine planning and design, ● Extend mining industries' best practice guidelines and standards in the area of mine planning and design, ● Explore, develop, and implement novel methodologies and models for risk-based mine planning and design by exploring research areas of stochastic mathematical programming and multi-agent learning algorithms, ● Demonstrate the efficiency of the advanced developed models, techniques, and guidelines with real mine data and apply the methodologies to case studies to verify and validate the models and promote industrial applications, ● Ensure that the verified and validated models and results are transferred into industry by publishing annual progress reports, presentations, prototype software and procedure guidelines.