BLOQUE: OPERACIONES DE MINAS
Conferencia magistral
Ernesto Villaescusa,
Chair in Rock Mechanics
Western Australian School of Mines
Miércoles 18 de setiembre, 2013
2. Western Australian School of Mines Research
The overall objective is to characterize rock masses and their response to mining activities, so that stable excavations can be designed, constructed and supported.
Excavation
stability
S801
Geological
regime
S802
Rock mass
characterization
S803
Performance
prediction
S804
Ground support
evaluation
S805
Ground support
implementation
S806
Backfill
mining voids
S808
Shotcrete
support
S807
New
technology
Rock Mass
Characterization
Ground
Support
Technology
Introduction
3. Stope & pillar sizes
Access & infrastructure
Global sequences
(Stress analysis)
Mine planning
Acceptable
design
NO
Rock Mechanics
Mine planning & Rock Mechanics
Global Economics
Mining method selection
Orebody
delineation
END
Document
results
Drill & blast design
Acceptable
design
Detailed economics
Mine planning
Rock reinforcement
Mine planning
Extraction monitoring
Operations, Mine planning
Geology & Rock mechanics
NO
YES
YES
Rock mechanics
Infill delineation drilling
Geology
Rockmass
characterization
Geology & rock
Orebody
delineation
Geology
Mine planning
Mine planning
Rockmass
characterization
Geology & rock
mechanics
Orebody
Document
results
Mine planning
Mine planning
Operations, Mine planning
Geology & Rock mechanics
Rock mechanics
Infill delineation drilling
Geology
G
L
O
B
A
L
D
E
S
I
G
N
D
E
T
A
I
L
E
D
D
E
S
I
G
N
INPUT
DATA
CLOSURE OF
DESIGN LOOP
Acceptable
design
Mine planning
Flowchart of mine planning process (Villaescusa, 1998).
Introduction
4. Introduction – Mining at depth
Golden Grove Mine, Western Australia (Thompson, 2011)
1000m
Conditions often become difficult beyond a 1000m or so
5. Maximum recovery – minimal dilution
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Depth of Failure (m)
HR
Hangingwall
Depth of Failure vs. Hydraulic Radius
0-1m
1-2m
3-4m
4-5m
>5m
Depth of
Golden Grove Mine, Western Australia (Thompson, 2011)
Continuous extraction sequence required to avoid pillars
6. Mining method selection & infrastructure
SLC/SLOS
SLOS
1000m
Change of the mining method or infrastructure location
7. Geotechnical monitoring requirements
Mine induced seismicity Kanowna Belle Mine, Western Australia (Morton, 2013)
Seismic sensor array
1000m
1000m
A need to understand the overall failure process and
instability
8. Large scale geological discontinuities
Mount Charlotte Mine, Western Australia (Corskie, 2013)
1000m
The global stability may be controlled by large scale
structures
9. Seismic response of large scale structures
Fitzroy fault
Kanowna Belle Mine, Western Australia (Morton, 2013)
1000m
1000m
The structures may become seismically active
11. Case study - sublevel open stoping at depth
1000m
Callie Mine, NT Australia (Graf, 2013)
12. Multiple lift - Sublevel open stoping
Callie Mine, NT Australia (Graf, 2013)
Primary-secondary extraction sequence
13. Multiple lift - Sublevel open stoping
Cemented rock fill of stoping voids
14. Callie Mine, NT Australia (Graf, 2013)
In-situ stress measurements - a key requirement
Acoustic Emission from oriented core samples – No access required – only deep core
15. Callie Mine, NT Australia (Graf, 2013)
In-situ stress measurements - a key requirement
Orientation and magnitude with depth determination
- For all the stoping block areas planned
16. Callie Mine, NT Australia (Graf, 2013)
Intact rock strength determination
For all rock types
17. Callie Mine, NT Australia (Graf, 2013)
Intact rock strength determination
For all rock types
18. Callie Mine, NT Australia (Graf, 2013)
Intact rock strength determination
For all rock types
19. Callie Mine, NT Australia (Graf, 2013)
Joint set number and orientation – block shape
From development exposure and diamond drilled core
20. Callie Mine, NT Australia (Graf, 2013)
Joint condition determination
From development exposure and diamond drilled core
27. Ground support strategy for an increasing stress
10
5
2
1
20
0.5
0.2
0.1
1 2 5 10 20
50 100 200
2.5
–
5.0
Medium
confining
stress
Low
confining
stress
High
stress
Heavy
rockburst
zone
σ
1
= In
-
situ main principal stress
σ
c
=
Uniaxial
Compressive Strength
of intact rock
Near
Surface
σ
c
σ
Stress Reduction Factor (SRF)
max
28. Ground support strategy for an increasing stress
Time dependent slow deformation Sudden, violent failure
The walls of the excavations become unstable due to vertical stress.
29. Rock bolting - with or without welded wire mesh
A generalized form of support effective for shallow to moderate depths.
Ground support strategy for an increasing stress
30. Ground support strategy for an increasing stress
At greater depths bolts, shotcrete and mesh required for backs and walls.
31. Fibrecrete energy dissipation is not enough under high stress conditions
Ground support strategy for an increasing stress
32. Ground support strategy for an increasing stress
Fibrecrete energy dissipation is not enough under high stress conditions
33. Ground support strategy for an increasing stress
Bolts + mesh embedded shotcrete + cables
Sudden failure
40. Ground support strategy for an increasing stress
Excavation shape at depth will require changes
41. Conclusions
•Rock mass characterization from exploration core.
•Selection of mining method with geotechnical considerations.
•Geotechnical monitoring for global stability.
•Strength vs induced stress ratios become unfavourable.
•Mode of failure anticipation required.
•Ground support strategy for high energy dissipation.
•Change of excavation shape may be required.