A PROJECT PROPOSAL

BY
ADUYEMI BLESSING OLUWASEUN
FPA/MR/21/3 -0048

SUBMITTED TO

THE DEPARTMENT OF MINERAL AND PETROLEUM

RESOURCES ENGINEERING
THE FEDERAL POLYTECHIC ADO- EKITI, EKITI STATE,
NIGERIA
SUPERVISOR: ENGR DR OLUWASEYI
 INTRODUCTION
• Rock mass is referred to an assemblage of rock materials seperated
byrock discontinuity mostly by joint, fracture, fault, bedding plane
dyke intrusion, bedding plane e.t.c. and intact rock. intact rock is
referred to the unfracture discontinuity in a typical rock mass.
• Geo means rock, Geomechanicsl is the study of the mechanical
state of the earth’s crust and the process occuring in it under the
influence of natural physical factors
• Mechanical properties are the major influential factor of rocks in response
and resistance to external loading and stretching in drilling and blasting
operation of mining activities.
 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
• Mis-conception of geo-mechanical properties of rocks in iron ore mines as
resulted in many geological disasters (Peng 1998, Han and Peng 2002).
The failure of rock slope among others is the most popular disaster
observed in open cast mines. These disaster can be mitigated if there
were accurate evaluation of the geo-mechanical evaluation of the rock
mass.
• In order to prevent geological disaster in Itakpe iron ore deposit, and to
enhance the drilling and blasting design of the field for optimum
exploitation and minimum cost, the research work attempt to provide in
details information on the geo-mechanical properties of the rock mass.
 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

• AIMS OF THE STUDY

• The aim of this study is to evaluate the geo-mechanical properties of Itakpe
Iron ore deposit for optimum exploitation of the deposit.
• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
• The objectives of the project are to:
 determine the mechanical properties of the intact rock
 determine the characterisation of the discontinuity
 evaluate the effect of geo-mechanical properties on the drill and blast ability
of the deposit, its stability and fragmentation.
 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

• This project will help to have a better design for the open cast or open pit
exploitation of the iron ore and the correct design of the blasting activity.
 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
• The scope of the study is limited to evaluation of geo-mechanical properties of
Itakpe iron ore mine which is operated by the National Iron Ore Mining Company
(NIOMCO), and it includes the collection of samples from the location, geo-
mechanical properties test and analysis, coupled with interpretation of results
through statistical means.
• The scope will involve the property of the intact rock and the properties of the
discontinuity.
• It may serve as background study for the designer to to establish their design
properly.
 EXPECTED CONTRIBUTION TO KNOWLEDGE

• This study will provide in-depth simplified knowledge on Itakpe

Iron ore deposit rock mass strength that may serve as
background study for geologists, mining engineers and
researchers that may need to embark on similar project.
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

• Safety helmet
• GPS
• Daily surveying notebook
• Compass clinometer
• White and blue marker
• Geological hammer
• Sample bags.
• steel pen
• Uniaxial compressive strength tester
• heavy hammer (5 kg weight)
• Point Load strength tester
• Safety jacket
• Safety shoes
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
STUDY PROCEDURE
• Field measurement
• collection of sample of intact rock
• Insitu measurement of the properties of discontinuity
• Obtaining samples with geological hammer and measurement with
compass clinometer
• Laboratory test( compressive and shear strength test) of the intact rock
• Result documentation, calculation, analysis and interpretation.
 REFERENCES
• Abhishek Kumar Tripathi and Ramesh kant (2019): Investigation on Geo-Mechanical Properties of
Rock Samples, International Refereed Journal of Engineering and Science (IRJES), ISSN (Online)
2319-183X, (Print) 2319-1821, Volume 8, PP. 13-21
• Bhandari S. (1997): Engineering Rock Blasting Operation, Publisher - A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam,
Netherland, ISBN- 905410658 1. pp. 135-137. 375.
• Fatima Rezaye and Shivanna (2019): Studies on Uniaxial Compressive Strength, Uniaxial Tensile
Strength, Young’s Modulus, Poisson’s Ratio of Iron Ore in relation their Influence in Optimum
Rock Blasting Process…….Central Afghanistan, International Journal of Computer Sciences and
Engineering, Vol.-7, Issue-4, E-ISSN: 2347-2693.
• Ojo O. and Olaleye B.M. (2002): Strength characteristics of two Nigerian rocks, global journal for
pure and applied science, Vol. 8, No. 4, PP 541-549, ISSN 1118-0579

• Peng S. (1998) Approach on mechanical properties of clastic rocks and rock micro-structure. Proc.
5th Ann Conf of Young Scientists, China Coal Society. Coal Industry Press (in Chinese)
• Peng S., J. Zhang (2007): Engineering geology for underground rocks, Springer – Verlag. Berlin
Heidelberg, p. 10-125, 319, ISBN 978-3-540-73294-5.
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