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Quantum Optimisation for Mine Planning and Extraction Scheduling

Applying quantum annealing and QUBO to open-pit scheduling, fleet dispatch, and extraction sequencing.

Full day (6 hours)

Certificate on completion

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Course Overview

For mine planners and operations research teams. Covers QUBO formulations for pit shell optimisation, block model extraction sequencing, truck-shovel dispatch, and tailings management. Includes D-Wave quantum annealing and Fujitsu Digital Annealer benchmarks against Whittle Four-X and Gurobi MIP on deposit models with 5,000-50,000 blocks.

Curriculum

Course content is structured into sessions below. Each session is configurable to your organisation's environment, threat model, and objectives.

#	Session	Topics
1	Mine Planning as a Combinatorial Optimisation Problem Why pit shells, block sequencing, and equipment dispatch are quantum-amenable
2	QUBO Formulations for Mining Operations Encoding mine planning problems for quantum and quantum-inspired solvers	Pit shell optimisation: Lerchs-Grossmann graph closure as a QUBO problem with ore grade, stripping ratio, and slope stability constraints Block model extraction sequencing: scheduling 10,000+ blocks across periods with precedence, blending, capacity, and stockpile constraints as quadratic penalty terms Equipment dispatch: truck-shovel allocation, haul route assignment, and crusher feed scheduling as combinatorial assignment problems
Break
3	Quantum Annealing and Classical Benchmarks Benchmark-specific performance comparisons against Whittle and Gurobi	D-Wave Advantage: solving 150-200 fully connected variable mine scheduling sub-problems on quantum annealing hardware with Pegasus topology Whittle comparison: how quantum-annealed pit shell solutions compare to Whittle Four-X on benchmark deposit models with 5,000-50,000 blocks Quantum-inspired solvers: Fujitsu Digital Annealer handling 100,000+ variable block scheduling instances on classical hardware today
4	Interactive Demonstration QUBO formulation and solver comparison for a mine scheduling problem	Facilitator-led formulation of a 500-block extraction sequencing problem as QUBO with precedence and blending constraints Solving on D-Wave and Fujitsu Digital Annealer: comparing solution quality, net present value, and constraint satisfaction against Gurobi MIP Scaling analysis: at what block count does the Gurobi solution time become impractical relative to quantum-inspired alternatives
Break
5	NISQ Constraints and Production Readiness What works today versus the fault-tolerant horizon for mining	Current hardware limits: quantum annealers handle sub-problems but full mine-life scheduling (50,000+ blocks, 20+ periods) requires decomposition strategies Tailings management logistics: waste dump scheduling, dam monitoring sensor placement, and rehabilitation sequencing as secondary optimisation problems Fault-tolerant timeline: 2028-2032 estimates and what error correction unlocks for production-scale mine planning with full constraint sets
6	Q&A and Implementation Planning

Designed and Delivered By

Training courses are designed and delivered by QSECDEF in collaboration with subject specialists. All instructors have direct experience in quantum technologies and security.

QSECDEF brings expertise in post-quantum cryptography, quantum computing strategy, and defence-grade security assessment. Our membership spans 900+ organisations and 1,500+ professionals working at the intersection of quantum technologies and critical infrastructure security.

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Quantum Optimisation for Mine Planning and Extraction Scheduling

Course Overview

Curriculum

Designed and Delivered By

Quantum Security Defence

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