CAVING GEOMECHANICS

R Butcher

AIMS

Basic knowledge Understanding of issues No black art Critically question technical reports Reasonable test Project content

WHY ?

Renewed interest Caves compete with deep pits Black art Lack of skills Skills loss since the late 1980s Skills loss in the USA

Contents

History
Mining engineering aspects Caving & stresses Pit transition issues SLC Block caving Risks

CAVING HISTORY

Block caving

Block caving

Started 1800s Pewabic mine (Michigan-USA) Iron ore mines 1900s block caving USA Copper mines 1920-30s Canada & Zimbabwe 1950s South African mines (Diamond) 1990s Hard rock low grade deposits

Early Block cave

(Peele 1941)

SUB LEVEL CAVING

Sub level caving

Top slicing, Northern English iron stone mines 1913, Utah gold mines 1920-30s ,US iron ore mines 1950s LKAB/Sweden 1958, Shabanie/Zimbabwe 1960-80 , worldwide 1980-90s, method decline (excessive dilution ) 1990s, Australia (dilution control by draw control) 2000s, method questioned again

TOP-SLICING

TOP SLICING (Continue)

Australia

Mainly SLCS North Parkes (BC) Front caves/Core & Shell SLOS/ Core & shell conversion to SLC Au , Cu, Ni, Poly-metallic 1- 4 Mt/yr Hard & Soft ore bodies Mainly African design rationale

Australian differences

Seismic activity Higher horizontal stresses (stress wall sooner ) Private owned Decline access Short life ops Limited mining history FIFO Environmental/ heritage Smaller mining companies (different risk perception) African design rationale challenged