Availability is one of the most used terms in maintainability engineering. This concept is used to denote: The quality of service of an engineering system, i.e., machines, weak points’ analysis, asset management, as well as making decisions in the process of life cycle management. Availability is an overall indicator and contains partial indicators that are oriented towards reliability, maintenance, and logistical support. Availability presents a variable value and changes in time and space. Usually, availability is shown as the coefficient of time use of the machine. This approach is not good enough because it does not go into the structure of the availability itself and requires a high level of IT support in system monitoring. In this sense, this paper will use the fuzzy theory and the corresponding analytic hierarchy process (AHP) multi-criteria analysis to present a conceptual and mathematical model for the assessment of availability based on expert judgment. The model will be shown in the case study (on the example) of bulldozers working in the open-pit lignite mine.

In a continuous system of production in open-cast coal mining, in addition to the basic machinery which consists of highly productive machines (bucket-wheel excavators, bucket-chain excavators, spreaders, conveyor-belt transporters, etc.) that provide an uninterrupted exploitation of mineral ores, the usage of auxiliary machinery is also necessary. The auxiliary machinery provides the possibility of using the capacities of basic machinery adequately and timely. Further, it must be mentioned that the auxiliary machinery generates up to 20% of the total mining expenses. Dozers are the most commonly used machines. Choosing the adequate dozer of the right type and manufacturer is of great importance and can be made easier by carrying out an analysis of the existent operational-exploitative parameters. In this paper, the method of grading the operational-exploitative parameters of dozer is defined. The choice of the optimal type of dozer was conducted by using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP).

The expansion of the open-pit exploitation of mineral raw materials, and especially the energy resources of fossil fuels, makes open-pit coal mines spatially dominant objects of large mining basins. Exploitation activities are accompanied by negative ecological impacts on the environment, which requires the integral planning, revitalization, reclamation, and rehabilitation of the disturbed area for human use in the post-exploitation period. The post-exploitation remediation and rehabilitation of open-pit mining areas and disposal sites, i.e., space disturbed by mining activities and accompanying facilities, are complex synthetic multidisciplinary multiphase engineering project tasks. In this paper, a hybrid fuzzy MCDM model (Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making) was developed for the selection of a reclamation solution for the Tamnava-West Field open-pit mine. IMF SWARA (Improved Fuzzy Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis) was applied to define the weights of 12 criteria of different structures used in the evaluation of reclamation solutions. The Fuzzy ROV (Range of Value) method was applied to select the reclamation solution from a total of 11 solutions previously obtained using a process approach. The results of the hybrid IMF SWARA—Fuzzy ROV model show that forestry is the best solution for the Tamnava-West Field open-pit mine. After the results had been obtained, verification analyses of the proposed model were performed and the best stable proposed reclamation solution was determined.

The rapid technology advancement and the significant decline of investment costs in wind and solar energy generation have opened up a significant opportunity to build these facilities on closed opencast mines or mines in the phase of closure around the world, where large available areas are almost ideal for such projects. In that sense, it is necessary to give an analysis of the possible application of wind and/or solar energy production in the Republic of Serbia’s mines, as well as the dynamics of such a generally ambitious and long-term project with conceptual solutions.

Drmno open pit mine with the annual yield of 9 million tons of coal is one of the main providers of the primary energy source in company Elektroprivreda Srbije. Due to the immediate vicinity of two...

Surface mining of coal has a negative impact on the environment that needs to be prevented, reduced, controlled, monitored by applying the management of technological processes of technical and biological recultivation after the end of exploitation works. The paper deals with the problem of multi-criteria decision-making in the process of selection of indicators that have an impact on the choice of purpose of recultivated terrain after the end of coal mining. The considered reclamation solutions represent possible alternatives. Degraded areas need to be returned to their original purpose, they should be in the function of environmental protection of the natural environment and settlements near this location. In addition, various criteria and sub-criteria that affect the choice of the most favourable solution were defined and analyzed. The final decision on land use after exploitation was made based on mathematical calculations using the multi-criteria VIKOR method.