VNIPIpromtekhnologii R&D Institute, Moscow, Russia:

G. V. Kharchenko, Head of Economic Analysis Group, Candidate of Economic Sciences, Kharchenko.G.V@vnipipt.ru
N. I. Lenok, Specialist of Tender Group

Decision-making on application of Research&Development projects is based on the heavy preliminary work with the obligatory assessment of technical-and-economic efficiency as an important examination stage. At the present time, the R&D Institute of ROSATOM’s Mining Division has approved and practiced the integrated approach based on the simultaneous application of cost/income estimation and comparison in evaluation of project efficiency. The use of such estimation method considerably saves time and efforts. The method features evaluation of solely indexes subject to change as a consequence of introduction of a new product or technology. The authors have analyze tools, methodology and algorithm of technical-and-economic assessment of R&D project efficiency, and tested the results in terms of the project on recycling of particulate tailings of mining-and-metallurgical works in the form of paste backfill for mined-out stopes of underground mine. In the framework of this study, software programs conventionally used to calculate time, cost and labor contents of projects, to estimate economic efficiency and to create business-plans are examined. Such software includes Oracle Primavera, MS Project, MS Excel, Project Expert and Alt-Invest. Judging from the assessment results, the application of the paste backfill technology in stopes of uranium mines shows high capital intensity, which needs time for sales and return of investment. Considerable saving of operating costs allows the project to reach profitability with the subsequent annual build-up of economic efficiency. The net present value steadily grows.

1. Bersenev N. P. Role and place of software products in evaluation of investment project efficiency. Analyst’s Role in Corporate Governance: Conference Proceedings. Moscow, 2002. Available at: http://www.aup.ru/books/m74/13.htm (accessed: 15.04.2018).
2. Verty B. D. Determination of R&D efficiency indexes. Economic sciences. 2009. No. 8(57). pp. 222–227.
3. Bochkareva T. N. Tax burden reduction as a condition of competitive recovery in nonferrous metallurgy. Tsvetnye metally. 2015. No. 3. pp. 47–51. DOI: 10.17580/tsm.2015.03.10
4. Kozin V. Z. Product recovery and commodity balance adjustment. Obogashchenie rud. 2014. No. 2. pp. 32–35.
5. Puttkammer K., Vornkahl P. Integrated production planning – thinking energy and resource efficiency one step ahead. Chernye Metally. 2017. No. 2. pp. 56–60.
6. Lungen H. B., Sprecher M. Flexible solutions in the iron and steel industry for reducing of carbon dioxide emissions and increase of production efficiency. Chernye Metally. 2017. No. 11. pp. 64–71.
7. Guidelines on Evaluat ion of Investment Project Efficiency. Moscow : Ekonomika, 2000. 421 p.
8. Available at: http://docs.cntd.ru/document/902376375 (accessed: 19.04.2018).
9. Jung S. J., Biswas K. Review of current high density paste fill and its technology. Mineral Resources Engineering. 2002. Vol. 11, No. 2. pp. 165–182.
10. Svyatetsky V. S., Kuzmin E. V. Paste backfill base on uranium ore processing tailings at Priargunsky Mining and Chemical Works. Underground Mining Technologies: International Conference Proceedings. Moscow, 2016. pp. 4–6.
11. Yumlu M. Mining with Paste Fill. AMC Consultants Pty Ltd, 2010. 26 p.
12. Nagaratnam Sivakugan, Ryan Veenstra, Niroshan Naguleswaran. Underground mine backfilling in Australia using paste fills and hydraulic fills. International Journal of Geosynthetics and Ground Engineering. 2015. Vol. 1, Iss. 2. DOI: 10.1007/s40891–015–0020–8
13. Svyatetsky V. S. Experience of using backfill based on mill tailings. GIAB. 2015. No. 8. pp. 33–36.
14. Hasan A., Suazo G., Fourie A. B. Full scale experiments on the effectiveness of a drainage system for cemented paste backfill. Paste 2013: Proceedings of the 16^th International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings. Perth : Australian Centre for Geomechanics, 2013. pp. 379–392.
15. Tuovinen H., Vesterbacka D., Pohjolainen E., Read D., Solatie D., Lehto J. A comparison of analytical methods for determining uranium and thorium in ores and mill tailings. Journal of Geochemical Exploration. 2015. Vol. 148. pp. 174–180.
16. Lu H., Qi C., Chen Q., Gan D., Xue Z., Hu Y. A new procedure for recycling waste tailings as cemented paste backfill to underground stopes and open pits. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2018. Vol. 188. pp. 601–612.
17. Polonik P. I., Savich O. I. Paste backfill technology in underground ore mining. GIAB. 1999. No. 3. pp. 84–86.
18. Dudgeon C. R., Waite T. D. Disposal of uranium tailings as paste. Tailings Dams, Mine Water, and Mine Closure: Proceedings of the International Mine Water Association International Congress. Sevilla, 1999. pp. 305–310.
19. Svyatetsky V. S., Kuzmin E. V., Kalakutsky A. V., Morozov A. A., Filonenko V. S., Bodrov A. S. Strength of paste backfill made of uranium mill tailings at Priargunsky Mining and Chemical Works. GIAB. 2017. No. 6. pp. 333–341.
20. Nikolaenko V. P., Lopatin V. V., Golovin V. F., Voronina L. I. Method of tailings disposal in underground mines. Patent RF, No. 2208169. Applied: 23.01.2002. Published: 10.07.2003.
21. Kharchenko G. V. Risks in economic system and in investment process. Kachestvo. Innovatsii. Obrazovanie. 2008. No. 11. pp. 67–74.