13.08.2013 Views

Rock Mechanics.pdf - Mining and Blasting

Rock Mechanics.pdf - Mining and Blasting

Rock Mechanics.pdf - Mining and Blasting

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Figure 13.16 Representation of a<br />

partial extraction operation (a) in<br />

terms of an equivalent volume, total<br />

area extraction (b).<br />

DESIGN OF A STOPE-AND-PILLAR LAYOUT<br />

single-phase mining operation, the mechanical integrity of the pillar support is assured,<br />

<strong>and</strong> volume extraction ratio is maximised. A graphical, heuristic procedure is<br />

used to demonstrate how this objective may be realised.<br />

Considering a representative element of a mine structure, shown in Figure 13.16a,<br />

the volume Ve of coal extracted from a block of plan dimensions wo + wp, <strong>and</strong> working<br />

height h,is<br />

Ve = h[(wo + wp) 2 − w 2 p ] (13.19)<br />

To obtain the same extraction volume Ve by complete extraction over the area of the<br />

element, i.e. over (wo + wp) 2 , a stope height he, called the equivalent working height,<br />

could be mined. This situation is illustrated in Figure 13.16b. The equivalent working<br />

height is given by the expression<br />

or<br />

he(wo + wp) 2 = Ve = h[(wo + wp) 2 − w 2 p ]<br />

he = h[1 − (wp/(wo + wp)) 2 ] (13.20)<br />

The yield of a naturally supported operation can be measured conveniently in<br />

terms of the equivalent working height, he, of an associated, fictitious operation in<br />

which extraction is complete over the area of a representative element of the deposit.<br />

Thus, any change in stoping geometry which increases the equivalent working height<br />

represents an increase in the yield performance of the operation. The effect of varying<br />

387

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!