When designing a mine site, an accurate geological model is an important foundation for the extraction planning. Knowledge about the mineral deposit, especially about the quantities and qualities, as well as the spatial location of seams, are important factors in optimised mine planning. In the lignite deposits of Amsdorf, new mining areas are rare, because historical open pit and underground mining operations have been in existence throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Several independent mines were previously combined over time and consolidated to create today’s mine site.

As a result, confusing pit geometries across a network of underground mine tunnels and caving areas exist within the mine site. For these mining areas, little or no historical modelling has ever been done, although bitumen-rich lignite exists in quantities that are still economical to extract today.“ Geological modelling of old underground mines can be challenging because of their complex structures, especially the underground caves,” explains ROMONTA’s Maximilian Hertrampf. “Standard mine planning software provided insufficient modelling capabilities.”