Valuation of the Sechahoon XI Mine Using a Real Options Portfolio and Linear Programming

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Dept. of Management and Accounting, Farabi Faculty, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran

2 Dept. of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

10.22034/anm.2026.24724.1734

Abstract

Mining projects are considered one of the riskiest yet most profitable areas of investment in the world. The main source of these risks is related to the uncertainty present in geological models, geomechanical models, exploitation operations, mine geometry, crushing and processing, environmental factors, and the economic model, including fluctuations in the final product price and production costs. Improper management of mine production planning will lead to the wastage of natural resources. This research, using a portfolio of real options, seeks to find the best decision that maximizes mining profit. The titles of mining real options are shown in Figure 1. The study of this research focuses on the Sechahoon XI iron ore mine, with the aim of physical optimization of the final pit limit and optimization of management decisions in real options. Modeling in this research was carried out in two separate parts: first, the final pit limit of the studied open-pit mine was optimized and designed using the Lerchs-Grossmann method. Then, the real options model was used for mine valuation using the influence diagram, regression, and simulation method.

Keywords

Main Subjects


[1]                 Abdel Sabour, S.A. and R. Poulin, Valuing real capital investments using the least-squares Monte Carlo method. The Engineering Economist, 2006. 51(2): p. 141-160.
[2]                 Abdel Sabour, S.A. and R. Poulin, Valuing real capital investments using the least-squares Monte Carlo method. The Engineering Economist, 2006. 51(2): p. 141-160.
[3]                 Haque, M.A., E. Topal, and E. Lilford, A numerical study for a mining project using real options valuation under commodity price uncertainty. Resources Policy, 2014. 39: p. 115-123.
[4]                 Maybee, B., et al., Impact of development strategies on the value of underground mining projects. International Journal of Mining and Mineral Engineering, 2009. 1(3): p. 219-231.
[5]                 Cortez, C.T., et al., Alternative techniques for forecasting mineral commodity prices. International Journal of Mining Science and Technology, 2018. 28(2): p. 309-322.
[6]                 Maier, S., J.W. Polak, and D.M. Gann, Valuing portfolios of interdependent real options using influence diagrams and simulation-and-regression: A multi-stage stochastic integer programming approach. Computers & Operations Research, 2020. 115: p. 104505.
[7]                 Dimitrakopoulos, R.G. and S.A.A. Sabour, Evaluating mine plans under uncertainty: Can the real options make a difference? Resources Policy, 2007. 32(3): p. 116-125.
[8]                 Castillo, F.D. and R. Dimitrakopoulos, Joint effect of commodity price and geological uncertainty over the life of mine and ultimate pit limit. Mining Technology, 2014. 123(4): p. 207-219.
[9]                 Maier, S., Re-evaluating natural resource investments under uncertainty: An alternative to limited traditional approaches. Annals of Operations Research, 2021. 299(1-2): p. 907-937.
[10]             Gamba, A., Real options valuation: A Monte Carlo approach. Faculty of Management, University of Calgary WP, 2003(2002/3).
[11]             Cortazar, G. and E.S. Schwartz, Monte Carlo evaluation model of an undeveloped oil field. Journal of Energy Finance & Development, 1998. 3(1): p. 73-84.
[12]             Cortazar, G., E.S. Schwartz, and J. Casassus, Optimal exploration investments under price and geological—technical uncertainty: a real options model, in Real R & D Options. 2003, Elsevier. p. 149-165.
[13]             Elkington, T. and R. Durham, Integrated open pit pushback selection and production capacity optimization journal of mining and science, 2011. 47: p. 177-190.
[14]             Whittle, J., Beyond optimization in open pit design, in Computer Applications in the Mineral Industries. 1988.
[15]             gholamnejad, J. and lotfi, E,. Designing the most probable final pit limit of open pit mines considering price uncertainty. Journal of analytical and numerical methods in mining engineering, 2022: p. 77-86.
[16]             Mirzaeian, Y. and gholamnejad, J. probabilistic pit limit design with different levels of managerial risk tolerance, considering the uncertainty of ore grade and final product price (case study: Afghanistans ainak copper mine) Journal of analytical and numerical methods in mining engineering, 2025, p. 65-76
[17]             Brennan, M.J. and E.S. Schwartz, Evaluating natural resource investments. Journal of business, 1985: p. 135-157.
[18]             Moel, A. and P. Tufano, when are real options exercised? An empirical study of mine closings. The review of financial studies, 2002. 15(1): p. 35-64.
[19]             McCarthy, J. and P.H. Monkhouse, To open or not to open—or what to do with a closed copper mine. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 2002. 15(2): p. 63-73.
[20]             Samis, M., et al., Valuing uncertain asset cash flows when there are no options: A real option approach. Resources Policy, 2005. 30(4): p. 285-298.
[21]             Abdel Sabour, S. and G. Wood, Modelling financial risk in open pit mine projects: implications for strategic decision-making. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2009. 109(3): p. 169-175.
[22]             Abdel Sabour, S.A. and R. Poulin, Mine expansion decisions under uncertainty. International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment, 2010. 24(4): p. 340-349.
[23]             Dehghani, H. and M. Ataee-pour, Determination of the effect of operating cost uncertainty on mining project evaluation. Resources Policy, 2012. 37(1): p. 109-117.
[24]             Amini, M., F. Alijani, and Z. Mozaffari, Economic evaluation of mining projects under conditions of uncertainty for prices and operating costs. International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies, 2015. 10(3): p. 881.
[25]             Evatt, G.W., M.O. Soltan, and P.V. Johnson, Mineral reserves under price uncertainty. Resources Policy, 2012. 37(3): p. 340-345.
[26]             Akbari, A., M. OSANLOU, and M. Shirazi, Minable reserve estimation while determining ultimate pit limits (UPL) under price uncertainty by option approach (ROA). Archives of Mining Sciences, 2009. 54(2): p. 321-339.
[27]             Cortazar, G. and E.S. Schwartz, Implementing a real option model for valuing an undeveloped oil field. International Transactions in Operational Research, 1997. 4(2): p. 125-137.
[28]             Cox, J.C., S.A. Ross, and M. Rubinstein, Option pricing: A simplified approach. Journal of financial Economics, 1979. 7(3): p. 229-263.
[29]             Ekern, S., An option pricing approach to evaluating petroleum projects. Energy Economics, 1988. 10(2): p. 91-99.
[30]             Kelly, S., A binomial lattice approach for valuing a mining property IPO. The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, 1998. 38(3): p. 693-709.
[31]             Tilley, J.A., Valuing American options in a path simulation model. Transactions of the Society of Actuaries, 1993. 45: p. 499-519.
[32]             Barraquand, J. and D. Martineau, Numerical valuation of high dimensional multivariate American securities. Journal of financial and quantitative analysis, 1995. 30(3): p. 383-405.
[33]             Carriere, J.F., Valuation of the early-exercise price for options using simulations and nonparametric regression. Insurance: mathematics and Economics, 1996. 19(1): p. 19-30.
[34]             Longstaff, F.A. and E.S. Schwartz, Valuing American options by simulation: a simple least-squares approach. The review of financial studies, 2001. 14(1): p. 113-147.
[35]             Mirzarian, Y. Strategic decision to storage option in gold mines, using the real option theory. Journal of analytical and numerical methods in mining engineering. 2023. p79-90.
[36]             Cortazar, G., M. Gravet, and J. Urzua, The valuation of multidimensional American real options using the LSM simulation method. Computers & Operations Research, 2008. 35(1): p. 113-129.
[37]             Lambrecht, B.M., Real options in finance. Journal of Banking & Finance, 2017. 81: p. 166-171.
[38]             Smith, J.E., Alternative Approaches for Solving Real-Options Problems: (Comment on Brandão et al. 2005). Decision Analysis, 2005. 2(2): p. 89-102.
[39]             Glasserman, P., Monte Carlo methods in financial engineering. Vol. 53. 2004: Springer.
[40]             Tsekrekos, A.E., M.B. Shackleton, and R. Wojakowski, Evaluating natural resource investments under different model dynamics: Managerial insights. European Financial Management, 2012. 18(4): p. 543-575.
[41]             Nadarajah, S., F. Margot, and N. Secomandi, Comparison of least squares Monte Carlo methods with applications to energy real options. European Journal of Operational Research, 2017. 256(1): p. 196-204.
[42]             Savolainen, J., Real options in metal mining project valuation: Review of literature. Resources Policy, 2016. 50: p. 49-65.
[43]             Cortazar, G. and J. Casassus, Optimal timing of a mine expansion: Implementing a real options model. The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, 1998. 38(3): p. 755-769.
[44]             Schwartz, E.S., The stochastic behavior of commodity prices: Implications for valuation and hedging. The Journal of finance, 1997. 52(3): p. 923-973.
[45]             Slade, M.E., Valuing managerial flexibility: An application of real-option theory to mining investments. Journal of environmental economics and management, 2001. 41(2): p. 193-233.
[46]             Denault, M., J.-G. Simonato, and L. Stentoft, A simulation-and-regression approach for stochastic dynamic programs with endogenous state variables. Computers & Operations Research, 2013. 40(11): p. 2760-2769.