Slope design is an integral part of the engineering of an open pit, regardless of its size. Most cases the slope angles are a key component dictating the economic viability of a proposed or current mining project. This has resulted in open pit mining operating with much lower Factor of Safety tolerances that would be used in civil engineering. However, the failure of a slope can have serious consequences in terms of the safety of personnel working in the open pit, and/or financial implications for the mining operation. These factors place a significant responsibility on the slope designer to produce a reliable design often based upon limited data. This necessitates that the processes that are used to formulate the designs are the best available. Source: Afri-Mining Consultancy https://www.udemy.com/course/mine-design-using-geovia-surpac/