Community, regulatory and environmental pressures have resulted in the development of an iterative approach to mine plan design. This is a staged approach that considers how noise, air and water quality and ecological impacts of different mine plan options affect the viability of the mining development. The traditional deterministic noise modelling process is used to predict the area of noise affectation of a predefined mine plan resulting in the acquisition of affected properties. The deterministic modelling process typically includes a sensitivity analysis to understand the uncertainties associated with the impact of operational changes, machine selection and changes in meteorological conditions on the area of noise affectation. The results are expressed as a range of predicted noise levels at each receiver location. Contemporary iterative mine plan design processes consider the economic operability of the mine, the environmental impacts of the operation, as well as the community acceptance of the development before determining an acceptable area of affectation. Rather than determine the area of affectation for a predefined mine plan, the iterative approach requires the planners to design a mine plan that can operate within an acceptable area of affectation. Probabilistic noise modelling is then used to investigate the operational changes required by the mine for the noise levels to remain within the acceptable area of noise affectation as temporal and spatial conditions change. As with traditional deterministic modelling methods, probabilistic noise modelling includes meteorological conditions, ground properties, terrain features, source sound power and directivity, and receiver geometry. However, in probabilistic noise modelling the results are expressed as a percentage of time that different operational changes, such as equipment relocation or shut down, may be required so that the acceptable area of affectation is realised. This paper outlines the application of probabilistic noise modelling for the iterative design of open-cut mining operations.