Section 19 Underground Mining: Supported Methods

M ICHAEL KARMIS , A SSOCIATE E DITOR FRED B RACKEBUSCH , S ECTION C OORDINATOR

19.0 Introduction 19.1 Cut and Fill Stoping 19.1.1 General 19.1.2 History 19.1.3 Reasons for Selecting Cut and Fill Methods 19.1.4 Case Studies 19.1.5 Mining Costs 19.2 Excavation Techniques 19.2.1 Overhand Cut and Fill Mining

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19.2.2 Undercut and Fill Mining 19.2.3 Elements Common to Overhand and Undercut Methods 19.3 Backfilling Methods 19.3.1 Waste Fill 19.3.2 Pneumatic Fill 19.3.3 Hydraulic Fill with Dilute Slurry 19.3.4 High-density Backfill 19.3.5 Unique or Unusual Fill Systems

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Chapter 19.0 INTRODUCTION

F RED W. B RACKEBUSCH 19.0.1.1 Section Organization
In underground stopes that require more than minimal support, backfill is almost universally used. The term cut and fill stoping is used in a broad sense in this section, which describes underground mining methods requiring support. Support in stopes can be classified as local or short-term and general or long-term. Local support for the back of a stope, for example, can be accomplished with rock bolts or timber stulls. General support for the walls of the stope is provided by backfill. Local support provides a safe working place for the stope miners. General support, provided by backfill, preserves the access way to the stope and prevents large scale dilution of ore. Supported methods are a set of cut and fill stoping methods using backfill for general support and various local support methods. This section is subdivided into three chapters: 19.1 Cut and Fill Mining 19.2 Excavation Techniques 19.3 Backfilling Methods CapsRound or square timbers generally greater than 8 in. (203 mm) in diameter, placed perpendicular to the vein for wall and back support. Caps are part of a timber set. Chute The loading arrangement that utilizes gravity flow in moving broken rock from a higher level to a lower level. A gate is used to control flow. Chute often refers to the wooden tube extending upward into the stope. Concrete Admixture An additive to concrete or backfill that modifies the setting time or handling characteristics of the mix. Crosscut A nominally horizontal tunnel, generally driven at right angles to the strike of a vein. Culm Waste from coal cleaning operations. Cut (and Fill) That part of the cut and fill mining cycle that includes drilling, blasting, slushing, mucking, and ground support. A rapid excavation technique may be substituted for drilling and blasting. Cut The volume of the ore body that is mined and filled in one cut and fill mining cycle. Cyclone A conical-cylindrical device with no moving parts, used to size or dewater mill tailings (or other slurries). The slurry is fed peripherally near the top end. Coarse material moves downward on the outside to the apex, and fine material moves up the center to the vortex. Drift A nominally horizontal tunnel, generally driven parallel to or coincident with a vein. Dwidag bolts A German-made, coarsely threaded rock bolt. The threads are present the full length of the bolt. Girts A timber, as part of a timber set, that braces caps or posts. Girts are placed parallel to the vein. Heading The working face of a drift, crosscut, or ramp. In timber sets, a heading is a bundle of wooden boards placed between a cap and the wall rock. Grizzly A grating, usually made of steel bars or rails, with square or rectangular openings for sizing coarse ore and waste.

19.0.1.2 Definitions
In order to assist the user of the Handbook to understand the terminology used in this section, definitions of certain key words follow. Terminology varies in different parts of the world, but the definitions presented will aid the reader who may be unfamiliar with the terminology or who has a different terminology. Back The roof or overhead rock surface of an underground opening. Breast The vertical end or face of a horizontal cut. The breast is a mining face that is generally as wide as the ore body and as high as the cut height.

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Ramp An inclined underground tunnel generally driven downward with LHD equipment. Slushing The process of moving broken ore from the point where it is excavated to an orepass, using a winch-driven, rope-drawn scraper bucket. SpargingClearing a pipeline or other container by blowing with air and water. Square Set A prismatic set of timber comprising a cap, a girt, and a post. StopeAn opening in which excavation of ore takes place. A stope may be any shape. Stulls Generally round timbers less than 8 in. (203 mm) in diameter, placed perpendicular to the vein for wall support. In a flat-dipping deposit, the same members are called posts. Timberslide A compartment in a raise used for hoisting materials. The hoisting bucket used generally slides on the footwall. TrammingThe haulage of broken ore with a train, truck, or LHD from a working place to an orepass. Uppers In stope mining, the method of drilling blastholes in the back to excavate the ore.

Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) unitsRubber-tired, front-end loader-transports designed for efficient tramming of broken rock. ManwayThe compartment of a raise or shaft that is equipped with ladders and landings. MuckingThe process of loading and transporting broken ore from the point where it is excavated to an orepass or haulage vehicle. Mucking generally involves the use of a wheel or track-mounted digging vehicle such as an LHD or an airpowered overshot loader. PostsTimbers that are placed vertically. When used individually for roof support in a flatly dipping ore body, they serve the same functions as stulls. When part of a timber set, posts support caps vertically. Pugmill A horizontal bed mixer with a pair of counter-rotating axles that carry multiple paddles; also called a paddle-mixer or twin-screw mixer. RaiseAn opening driven upward generally on the vein. A raise is an accessway to a stope. A raise consists of one or two chutes, a manway, and a timberslide.