Building a digital model of a homogenization yard
V.V. Cheskidov1, D.S. Moshkov1, D.V. Chumachenko1, K.S. Gakh1, N.A. Botov1
1 National University of Science and Technology "MISIS", Moscow, Russian Federation
Russian Mining Industry №3/ 2026 p. 35-39
Abstract: Operational stability of processing plants is currently constrained not only by a decrease in the average ore grades, but also by its increasing heterogeneity. When relatively lower-grade and structurally complex areas of deposits are mined, fluctuations in the ore grade and content of impurities increase, as well as variations in size, humidity, strength, and other technologically important parameters of the ore material. Homogenization yards have the potential to noticeably mitigate these heterogeneities and stabilize the ore grades off-loaded to the processing plant, but in practice their effect is often lower than the planned one, i.e. often a homogenization yard works as a storage and intermediate site rather than as a tool to stabilize quality characteristics of the raw materials. The main reason is the lack of a way to quantitatively assess how exactly homogenization occurs within a particular stockpile. The paper proposes an approach based on spatial and temporal simulation of the ore material distribution within the yard. The model describes the site configuration, layer formation methods, alternation of the raw material types from different faces, the specified quality characteristics of the delivered batches and the stockpiling technology. This makes it possible to visually reconstruct distribution of the parameters, as well as to calculate the degree of smoothing of the initial heterogeneity, i.e. a change in the dispersion of the contents, a reduction in the range of temporary variations, and sensitivity of the result to the geometry of the yard and the mode of its formation. Instead of the generalized assumptions, a tool is developed that quantifies how ore is mixed under specific conditions and provides a basis for choosing a proper configuration of the intermediate and homogenization yards and rational stockpiling modes.
Keywords: mining, charge preparation, homogenization yard, grades of mineral raw materials, processing plant, block model, stabilization of ore characteristics, variability of ore properties, stockpile
For citation: Cheskidov V.V., Moshkov D.S., Chumachenko D.V., Gakh K.S., Botov N.A. Building a digital model of a homogenization yard. Russian Mining Industry. 2026;(3):35–39. https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2026-3-35-39
Article info
Received: 20.02.2026
Revised: 24.03.2026
Accepted: 13.04.2026
Information about the authors
Vasilii V. Cheskidov – Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Associate Professor, Deputy Director of the Mining Institute, National University of Science and Technology "MISIS", Moscow, Russian Federation; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6165-5439; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dmitriy S. Moshkov – Postgraduate Student, Department of Geology and Mine Surveying, Mining Institute, National University of Science and Technology "MISIS", Moscow, Russian Federation
Daniil V. Chumachenko – Student, Department of Geology and Mine Surveying, Mining Institute, National University of Science and Technology "MISIS", Moscow, Russian Federation
Kirill S. Gakh – Student, Department of Geology and Mine Surveying, Mining Institute, National University of Science and Technology "MISIS", Moscow, Russian Federation
Nikolay A. Botov – Postgraduate Student, Department of Geology and Mine Surveying, Mining Institute, National University of Science and Technology "MISIS", Moscow, Russian Federation
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