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Rock Mechanics.pdf - Mining and Blasting

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Figure 15.39 Idealised plan illustrating<br />

some of the desirable <strong>and</strong> undesirable<br />

features of undercut shape <strong>and</strong><br />

orientation (after Brown, 2003).<br />

LONGWALL AND CAVING MINING METHODS<br />

<strong>and</strong> so should induce caving more readily. However, a flat undercut face is difficult to<br />

achieve in practice <strong>and</strong> sharp corners, especially re-entrant corners, are to be avoided.<br />

These factors argue for the adoption of a curved face with a large radius of curvature<br />

(Ferguson, 1979). A face that is convex with respect to the cave should cave more<br />

readily than one that is concave. In panel caving operations, the cave front should<br />

advance across the orebody in a straight line as each of the adjacent panels is undercut.<br />

Figure 15.39 illustrates some of the desirable <strong>and</strong> undesirable features of undercut<br />

shape <strong>and</strong> orientation in an idealised case.<br />

15.5.4 Extraction level design<br />

The operational efficiency <strong>and</strong> cost effectiveness of block <strong>and</strong> panel caving mines<br />

depend, among other things, on the design <strong>and</strong> performance of the extraction or<br />

production level excavations. Extraction level design <strong>and</strong> performance are influenced<br />

by the degree of fragmentation achieved <strong>and</strong> by the undercutting strategy adopted. The<br />

three-dimensional geometries of the excavations between the extraction <strong>and</strong> undercut<br />

levels can be very complex. They must be designed to ensure that they remain stable<br />

<strong>and</strong> conducive to efficient production operations throughout their design lives which<br />

can be several years, or even decades, in some cases.<br />

The early block caving mines used gravity loading systems via grizzlies <strong>and</strong> a<br />

combination of finger <strong>and</strong> transfer raises to the haulage level. This system is best suited<br />

to ore that fragments finely but is labour intensive requiring significant development.<br />

In other cases, including some of the South African diamond mines, a slusher system<br />

was used to transfer the ore from the drawpoints to the haulage. A good account<br />

of gravity <strong>and</strong> slusher draw systems is given by Pillar (1981). Although grizzly <strong>and</strong><br />

slusher systems still find some use, they have been almost completely replaced by<br />

mechanised methods of drawing <strong>and</strong> moving the ore on the extraction level using<br />

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