Mining Engineering and Geostatistics

Modelling of mineral raw materials extraction activities - Advanced application of geostatistics to mining and environmental issues

Description

The research group has as its field of scientific and didactic activity:

  • The modelling of mineral raw material resources and subsoil heat transfer (low enthalpy geothermal energy). In particular, the group focuses on the characterization of mineral (including ornamental rocks) and environmental resources (sampling, estimation, selection and parameterization), using direct (e.g. boreholes) and indirect (e.g. satellite images, geophysical surveys) information.
  • The technical-economic optimization of mining, underground excavation and installations in general through unconventional numerical modelling of deposits and of elementary activities of the extraction process. Particular attention is given to the optimization of recovery in useful substances, the economic valorisation of accessory materials from waste stockpiles and mine tailings.
  • Design, implementation and monitoring of innovative systems for extracting / storing heat through heat pumps from the immediate subsoil, for the recovering of thermal energy and for improving the energy efficiency.

National and International Collaborations

  • Centre de Géosciences, MINES ParisTech, France
  • Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Engenharia de Minas, Brazil
  • Isntituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, Portugal
  • Universidade Agoistinho Neto, Faculdade de Engenharia, Luanda, Angola
  • Université de Liege, Belgium
  • Lulea University of Technology, Sweden
  • Tecnische Universitat Freieberg, Germany
  • Technical University of Delft, The Netherlands
  • National Technical University of Athens, Greece
  • Université de Loraine, France
  • Université de Bordeaux, France
  • Bureau Recherche Geologue et Minier (BRGM), France

 Pubblications

  • Kasmaeeyazdi, S., Raspa, G., De Fouquet, C., (...), Bonduà, S., Bruno, R. 2020. How different data supports affect geostatistical modelling: the new aggregation method and comparison with the classical regularisation and the theoretical punctual model. International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment 34(1), pp. 34-54
  • Kasmaee, S., Raspa, G., De Fouquet, C., (...), Bonduà, S., Bruno, R. 2019. Geostatistical estimation of multi-domain deposits with transitional boundaries: A sensitivity study for the Sechahun iron mine. Minerals 9(2),115
  • Elkarmoty, M., Tinti, F., Kasmaeeyazdi, S., Bonduà, S., Bruno, R. 2018. 3D modeling of discontinuities using GPR in a commercial size ornamental limestone block.   Construction and Building Materials 166, pp. 81-86
  • Boldini, D., Bruno, R., Egger, H., Stafisso, D., Voza, A. 2018 Statistical and Geostatistical Analysis of Drilling Parameters in the Brenner Base Tunnel. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering 51(6), pp. 1955-1963.
  • Tinti, F., Boldini, D., Ferrari, M., (...), Voza, A., Zurlo, R., 2017. Exploitation of geothermal energy using tunnel lining technology in a mountain environment. A feasibility study for the Brenner Base tunnel – BBT. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 70, pp. 182-203
  • Bruno, R., Tinti, F., Focaccia, S., 2016. Estimating Thermal Response Test Coefficients: Choosing Coordinate Space of The Random Function. Mathematical Geosciences 48(1), pp. 3-23

Group coordinator

Stefano Bonduà

Associate Professor

Faculty members

Francesco Tinti

Senior assistant professor (fixed-term)

Research assistants and PhD students

Sara Kasmaeeyazdi

Adjunct professor

Research fellow

Teaching tutor