CAVING GEOMECHANICS

R Butcher
 COPYRIGHT & DISCLAIMER
! COPYRIGHT
© Copyright 2003. Australian Centre for Geomechanics (ACG), The University of
Western Australia. All rights reserved. No part of the content of these course notes
may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the prior written
permission of the Australian Centre for Geomechanics, The University of Western
Australia.
! DISCLAIMER
The information contained in these course notes is for general educational and
informative purposes only. Except to the extent required by law, The University of
Western Australia/ ACG, Richard Butcher and Dempers & Seymour make no
representations or warranties express or implied as to the accuracy, reliability or
completeness of the information contained therein. To the extent permitted by law,
The University of Western Australia/ACG, Richard Butcher and Dempers & Seymour
exclude all liability for loss or damage of any kind at all (including indirect or
consequential loss or damage) arising from the information in these course notes or use
of such information. You acknowledge that the information provided in these course
notes is to assist with you undertaking your own enquiries and analysis and that you
should seek independent professional advice before acting in reliance on the
information contained therein.
 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 1980’s
! Skills loss in the USA
 Contents

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

Hamrin 2001
 Block Caving
! Started 1800’s
! Pewabic mine (Michigan-USA)
! Iron ore mines
! 1900’s block caving USA Copper mines
! 1920-30’s Canada & Zimbabwe
! 1950’s South African mines (Diamond)
! 1990’s Hard rock low grade deposits
Early Block Cave

Peele 1941
Sublevel Caving

Hamrin 2001
 Sublevel Caving
! Top slicing, Northern English iron stone mines
! 1913, Utah gold mines
! 1920-30’s ,US iron ore mines
! 1950’s LKAB/Sweden
! 1958, Shabanie/Zimbabwe
! 1960-80’ , worldwide
! 1980-90’s, method decline (excessive dilution )
! 1990’s, Australia (dilution control by draw control)
! 2000’s, method questioned again
Top-Slicing

Peele 1941
Top-Slicing (Continued)

Peele 1941
 Australia
! Mainly SLC’S
! 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