Shrinkage stoping method

Introduction
In shrinkage stoping, traditionally a common mining method, ore is excavated in horizontal
slices, starting from the stope bottom and advancing upwards. Part of the blasted ore is
left in the stope, to serve as a working platform, and to give support to the stope walls.
Blasting swells the ore by about 50%, which means that a substantial amount has to be
left in the stope until mining has reached the top section, following which final extraction
can take place.
Description and conditions application
Shrinkage stoping can be used for orebodies with: steep dips; comparatively stable ore
and sidewall characteristics; regular ore boundaries; and ore unaffected by storage (some
sulphide ores oxidize, generating excessive heat). This is a method underground mining
where the ore deposit is deep and ore body is steep. It is a high costs method. The stope
is may be backfilled or left empty, depending on the rock conditions. Although it very
selective and allows for low dilution. We use exploitation method when minerals are
vertical or sub-vertical (ore vertical structures), and thickness little (1 to 10 m.). It is
designed for medium and small mining, The Inclination must be greater than 55 and the
ore rock must be stable and competent. The mine ventilation, the working face is
ventilated by Injecting air from the transport gallery located in the base.
Principle of the method
It consists of digging the ore horizontal slices in an ascending sequence (boost) on the
basis of the stopes. The material is continuously removed from the base. The rest is stored
in the stopes, so as to serve as a working floor for the starting operation and support the
walls. When the process have limit of the stopes, cease drilling and blasting and emptying
the stope starts extracting the mineral that stored. The pillars and bridges separating
mineral stope usually are recovered subsequently.
Equipment
Shrinkage mining equipment is requirements are minimal. The normally used: Airleg miner,
Longhole drilling, haulage truck equipment LHD o scraper and loaders; Perforation Zimba
whit hammer and DTH; transport whit truck, belt conveyor and skip if have a crusher.
Mines in the world
El Olivo mine, Los Maitenes, Cajn del Maipo, and Andes mountain range, near the
Vulcan Tupungato. The rock mass is a vein of gold, studies, both prospective and.
Estimates indicate that this is a mineralized zone with a high grade and economic return.
The Muska gold mine is located 80 km west of Val-dOr and 20 km east of RouynNoranda near the provincial border of Quebec and Ontario in northwestern Quebec,
Canada.

Advantages
Draining by gravity mansion
Simple method for small mines
Low Capital, some machining
possible
mineral and minimum support walls
moderate Developments
Good recovery (75-100%)
Low dilution (10-25%)
possible Selectivity

Disadvantages
low to moderate productivity (310ton / man-shift
moderate to high costs
Intensive labor
limited Mechanization
difficult working conditions
Approx. 60% of the "prisoner"
mineral inside the mansion until the
end
Draperies
Loss of the mansion in emptying if
not done carefully

Summary
Shrinkege stoping was a common and important method in the days when few machines
were employed in underground mining. Its advantage is the fact that the ore could be
dumped directly into cars though the chutes, eliminating handloading.
Conclution
We are thinks that isn't importance method today, because, the method is labor intensive,
working conditions are difficult and dangerous, productivity is limited, and the bulk of the
ore remains stored in the stope for a long period of time, have resulted in the replacement
of shrinkage stoping by other method. Sublevel stoping, vertical retreat stoping, sublevel
caving, and cut and fill mining are methods that usually can be applied under similar
conditions.
The shrinkage stoping remains, however, as one of the methods that can be practiced with
a minimum of investment in machinery and yet is not entirely dependent on manual
capacity.
Bibliography
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https://www.sernageomin.cl
https://www.codelco.cl
https://books.google.cl/methodminig