IBM Interview Technical Questions with Model Answers – Complete Mining Viva Guide

✅ Detailed Notes – Technical + Regulatory Focus

🔹 1. Mining Plan & Statutory Control

A Mining Plan is a statutory, approved technical document that defines:

• Method of mining
• Production schedule
• Bench design and pit limits
• Exploration program
• Waste disposal plan
• Environmental safeguards
• Progressive and final closure measures

Interview panels often test whether you understand that:

Mining must be conducted strictly as per the approved plan.

Modification of Mining Plan is required when there is:

• Change in mining method
• Major production change
• Change in pit limit or depth
• Technology change
• Reserve reassessment

Deviation without approval is treated as a violation.

🔹 2. MCDR Compliance & Returns

MCDR focuses on:

• Scientific and systematic mining
• Mineral conservation
• Proper reporting
• Environmental protection
• Exploration obligation
• Closure compliance

Important compliance points:

• Monthly & Annual Returns are mandatory
• Production, dispatch, grade, and labor data must match field reality
• Returns are now digitally scrutinized
• Mismatch in production vs dispatch is a red flag

Inspection officers verify:

• Records vs field condition
• Survey vs reported production
• Dumps vs approved location

🔹 3. Reserves, Resources & UNFC

Key concepts frequently asked:

Resource: Total mineral concentration with reasonable prospects.
Reserve: Economically mineable part after applying modifying factors.

UNFC classification uses three axes:

• Geological confidence (G)
• Feasibility (F)
• Economic viability (E)

Examples: 111 (high confidence), 121, etc.

Other viva favorites:

• Cut-off grade → economic threshold
• Bulk density → volume to tonnage conversion
• Reserve reconciliation → plan vs actual mined

🔹 4. Opencast Technical Parameters

Panel questions often focus on design logic.

Bench height depends on:

• Rock strength
• Equipment size
• Blasting method
• Safety norms

Haul road gradient: Normally about 1 in 16 (≈6–7%)

Dump stability factors:

• Height
• Slope angle
• Drainage
• Foundation condition
• Material type

Slope failure causes:

• Over-steepening
• Water pressure
• Weak strata
• Poor drainage
• Blast damage

🔹 5. Mineral Conservation & Sustainable Mining

Modern regulatory interviews heavily stress conservation.

Key principles:

• Maximum recovery
• Minimum dilution
• Minimum waste

Methods:

• Selective mining
• Grade control
• Blending
• Beneficiation
• Sub-grade stacking

Avoid:

• Selective high-grade mining only
• Ore–waste mixing
• Poor sampling control

Progressive mine closure means:

• Backfilling
• Plantation
• Dump stabilization
• Topsoil reuse during mine life

🔹 6. Inspection & Field Verification Logic

Inspection questions are scenario-based.

Inspectors check:

• Lease boundary pillars
• Bench dimensions
• Pit limit vs plan
• Dump location
• Production level
• Exploration progress
• Stock measurement
• Grade control

Important principle to state in viva:

Field verification overrides paper records.

Production is verified using:

• Survey volume
• Bulk density
• Stack measurement
• Dispatch records
• Weighbridge data

🔹 7. Current Mining Policy & Technology Trends

Interviewers now include policy awareness.

Important trends:

• Auction-based mineral block allocation
• Critical minerals focus (battery & energy sector)
• Value addition over raw ore export
• Exploration privatization
• Drone & satellite monitoring
• Digital returns & analytics
• ESG-based mining evaluation

Technology in regulation:

• Drone pit surveys
• GIS lease monitoring
• 3D reserve models
• AI in grade prediction
• Digital audit trails

✅ Quick One-Liners – Rapid Revision

• Mining Plan = Statutory mining blueprint
• Deviation from plan = violation
• Reserve = economically mineable resource
• UNFC = G + F + E classification
• Cut-off grade = economic threshold grade
• Bulk density converts volume to tonnage
• Conservation = max recovery, min loss
• Progressive closure = during mine life
• Monthly return = production & dispatch data
• Bench design affects slope stability
• Dump drainage prevents failure
• Drone survey improves compliance
• Digital returns enable scrutiny
• Grade dilution reduces ore value
• Blending supports conservation
• Field check > office records
• Exploration improves reserve confidence
• Tailings safety is high-risk area
• ESG now part of mining evaluation
• Inspection is evidence-based

✅ Descriptive Model Answers (Viva Style)

Q1. What is a Mining Plan and why is it important?

Model Answer:
A Mining Plan is a statutory technical document approved by the competent authority that defines how a mineral deposit will be mined scientifically and systematically. It includes method of mining, production schedule, reserve estimation, environmental safeguards, waste disposal, and mine closure planning. All mining operations must follow the approved Mining Plan, and deviations require prior approval. It is the primary regulatory control document for mining operations.

Q2. How will you handle a case where production exceeds approved limits?

Model Answer:
First, I would verify production data using survey records, dispatch registers, and returns. If excess production is confirmed beyond approved limits, it is treated as a plan deviation. I would document the evidence, record the violation in inspection notes, and recommend regulatory action along with corrective compliance measures.

Q3. Explain mineral conservation in practical mining terms.

Model Answer:
Mineral conservation means maximizing recovery of useful mineral while minimizing loss, dilution, and waste. In practice, it includes proper grade control, selective mining, beneficiation, blending of low-grade ore, sub-grade stacking, and avoiding selective high-grade extraction that sterilizes remaining reserves.

Q4. What are key red flags during mine inspection?

Model Answer:
Working outside lease boundary, irregular benches, dumps outside approved area, production beyond plan, mismatch in returns vs field, mixed ore and waste stacks, lack of exploration update, and absence of proper survey control are major red flags.

✅ MCQs – IBM / Regulatory Mining Viva Practice (20)

Q1. Mining Plan approval is required before:
A. Exploration
B. Prospecting
C. Mining operation
D. Sampling
E. Survey
Answer: C
Solution: Mining cannot start without approved Mining Plan.

Q2. UNFC classification is based on:
A. Grade only
B. Depth only
C. Cost only
D. G, F, E axes
E. Production only
Answer: D
Solution: UNFC uses Geological, Feasibility, Economic axes.

Q3. Cut-off grade is based on:
A. Color
B. Depth
C. Economics
D. Ownership
E. Thickness
Answer: C
Solution: It is economic threshold grade.

Q4. Stripping ratio relates to:
A. Ore quality
B. Waste to ore ratio
C. Drill spacing
D. Haul speed
E. Recovery
Answer: B
Solution: OB removed vs ore mined.

Q5. Monthly return mainly reports:
A. Weather
B. Production data
C. Salary
D. Training
E. Blasting pattern
Answer: B
Solution: Production and dispatch data.

Q6. Progressive closure means:
A. Closure after mine end
B. No closure
C. Closure during mine life
D. Temporary stop
E. Emergency stop
Answer: C
Solution: Done concurrently.

Q7. Bench height depends mainly on:
A. Paint color
B. Rock strength
C. Office rule
D. Shift timing
E. Lease age
Answer: B
Solution: Rock and equipment factors.

Q8. Dump failure risk increases with:
A. Drainage
B. Compaction
C. Excess height
D. Plantation
E. Benching
Answer: C
Solution: Height increases instability.

Q9. Bulk density converts:
A. Grade to price
B. Volume to tonnage
C. Depth to width
D. Time to cost
E. Drill to blast
Answer: B
Solution: Used in reserve/production calc.

Q10. Grade dilution causes:
A. Higher profit
B. Lower grade
C. Faster drilling
D. Better slope
E. More recovery
Answer: B
Solution: Waste mixing reduces grade.

Q11. Best check of production is:
A. Verbal report
B. Estimate
C. Survey volume
D. Guess
E. Rumor
Answer: C
Solution: Survey-based measurement.

Q12. Sub-grade should be:
A. Dumped randomly
B. Mixed
C. Burned
D. Stacked separately
E. Ignored
Answer: D
Solution: For future use.

Q13. Tailings are:
A. Topsoil
B. Waste after processing
C. Ore
D. Coal
E. OB
Answer: B
Solution: Processing residue.

Q14. Haul road gradient ideally:
A. 1 in 2
B. 1 in 4
C. 1 in 16
D. 1 in 30
E. Flat only
Answer: C
Solution: Standard heavy haul design.

Q15. Drone survey helps in:
A. Cooking
B. Payroll
C. Pit measurement
D. Lighting
E. Ventilation
Answer: C
Solution: Used for pit/dump volume.

Q16. Reserve reconciliation compares:
A. Plan vs actual
B. Color vs grade
C. Price vs tax
D. Wage vs shift
E. Depth vs width
Answer: A
Solution: Validates estimates.

Q17. Selective high-grade mining leads to:
A. Conservation
B. Sterilization
C. Stability
D. Safety
E. Reclamation
Answer: B
Solution: Leaves unusable low-grade.

Q18. Garland drains are for:
A. Lighting
B. Drainage control
C. Blasting
D. Survey
E. Ventilation
Answer: B
Solution: Control runoff.

Q19. Inspection priority is:
A. Production only
B. Profit
C. Compliance
D. Speed
E. Branding
Answer: C
Solution: Regulatory compliance first.

Q20. Best viva line on mining regulation:
A. Fast mining is best
B. Cheap mining is best
C. Scientific mining is required
D. Deep mining is best
E. Old mining is best
Answer: C
Solution: Core regulatory principle.