Mine sequencing is the deliberate ordering of the extraction of ore blocks, benches, stopes, panels, or pits to ensure mining proceeds safely, economically, and in accordance with geotechnical stability requirements and processing plant feed specifications. It is closely related to mine scheduling but focuses specifically on the spatial and temporal order of extraction rather than the broader resource allocation plan. In open-pit iron ore and bauxite mines, sequencing determines the order in which benches are pushed back, ensuring sufficient working room, waste stripping ratios are managed, and slope stability is maintained. In underground gold and diamond mines, sequencing governs which stopes are extracted first, the direction of panel advance, and the timing of backfill operations to prevent crown or pillar failures. Poor sequencing can lead to dilution of ore with waste, geotechnical instability, uneven plant feed grades, or premature sterilization of mineral reserves. Mine sequencing is driven by block model economics, geotechnical data, access constraints, and ore grade distribution. Optimization algorithms embedded in mine planning software help generate sequences that maximize net present value while respecting operational and safety constraints. In multi-pit or multi-level operations, sequencing across zones must be carefully coordinated to avoid resource conflicts.
