Sublevel Stoping

25/12/2021

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 Principle -1
*Sublevel stoping is also known as blast hole or long
hole stoping.
*Sublevel stoping is an open stoping method.
*It is high production, bulk mining method.
*Sublevel stoping accounts about 3% of world non
coal production.

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 Ore Body -1
*Ore body is required to be studied well in advance to
avoid surprises at the time of mining.
3

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 Ore Body Dip -1
*Applicable to large, steeply dipping regular ore
bodies.
*This shall permit gravity flow of blasted ore through
draw point and chute.
*Dip of ore body, foot wall must be such that it
exceeds angle of repose of broken ore.

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 Ore Body Thickness -1
*Ore body should be more than 6m wide. *
*Less than 6 m width long hole drilling and blasting is
not performed because of higher cost and larger
dilution.
*Ore body should be thick enough to adopt ring
drilling pattern.
*Ring drilling pattern reduces the development cost
considerably with out compromising blasting quality
*In wide ore bodies, transverse stoping is applied.

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 Ore Body Boundary - 2
*Ore body should be even and fairly well defined.
*Stope boundaries must be regular.
*Irregular ore boundaries or large waste inclusion
caused dilution of ore.
*Stope ore body should be readily separated from
walls
*Ore body should have smooth foot wall contact.
*Smooth FW contact allows flow of blasted ore to
draw points and chutes.

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 Ore Strength -1
*Ore, HW & FW should be strong to fairly strong and
competent, self supporting & stable.
*Ore strength should be 55 Mpa or more.
*Variation of rock strength has to be compensated at
design stage.
*Rock (ore, FW & HW) must be structurally
competent and self supporting.
*Larger opening is left unfilled for extended period of
time.

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 Ore Strength - 2
*Repeated shocks from large blast requires ore of high
compressive strength and minimal structural
weakness, such as joints, fault and bedding plane.
*In relatively weaker ore bodies, transverse stoping is
applied.
*

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 Stope Development -1
*Mine development starts from a shaft sunk in foot
wall to avoid any subsequent caving effect from
stopes.
*Sublevel means a intermediate level between two
adjacent levels, driven during development stage.
*Sublevels are confined in block of ore & does not
extend to shaft.
*Preparation for sublevel toping is comparatively
comprehensive & costly.
*Development drilling is done by jack hammer or drill
jumbo.
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Sublevel Stoping
Production
Blasting
With
filling

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 Stope Sizing Block -1
*Ore body is developed vertically by driving crosscut
and haulage levels every 45 to 120m.
*Sublevels are driven through proposed block every 10
to 55m.
*More than one sublevel may be used at each levels,
depending on width of ore body.
*Method involves driving of sub level with in orebody
to vertically divide block of ore to be stopped.
* Normally, 2 to 3 sublevels ate excavated in between
two main levels.
*
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 Stope Access -1
*Raises are to be excavated to access & development
of sublevels.
*Access raises driven in ore body are used to further
subdivide ore body into blocks for stoping.
*Ramp from lower level is excavated up ward at 9
degree to reach upper sublevel.
*Ramp provide better access to sublevels from main
level.
*Ramp improves machine & stope utilization.
*Ramp helps to provide better supervision by allowing
supervisor to move with vehicle. 12
 Stope Slot Raise -1
*Slotting raises are excavated from one haulage level to
upper haulage level.
*Blasting long holes, slotting raises are converted into
expansion slot to height and width of proposed stope.
*Shrinkage stopes has also been used to from starting slot.
*Slotting is very expansive part of stoping operation.
*25 to 30% cost of mining cost consist of development &
slotting.
*Construction of slot raise at hanging wall & widening it
from hanging wall to foot wall or longitudinally, to
open way of stoping 15
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 Stope Slot Raise -2
*A slot is necessary for increased volume of blasted
rock & to provide a free face during blasting.
*Construction of slot raise at hanging wall & widening
it from hanging wall to foot wall or longitudinally, to
open way of stoping 15
*A slot is necessary for increased volume of blasted
rock & to provide a free face during blasting.
*

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 Stope Base Extraction -1
*Base of stope is slotted (above sill pillar) horizontally
prior to production blast.
*Base of stope (sill pillar) is excavated to make 45
degree collection trough.
*Some time, no slot is excavated above sill pillar,
Stope blasting exposes collection system as stope
face retreats.
*Excavation of trough or cone is typically carried out
by drilling from draw points and mining up wards
using (55 to 94 mm dia long hole)

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 Stope Extraction Condition - 1
*Miner works with in sublevel opening.
*After block of ore is mined out, pillars are usually
robbed in consistent with safety.
*Hang wall of stope is alloyed to collapse.
*Some time, walls may not collapse for considerable
period of time, even after stoping & pillars robbing
has been completed.
*Up to 100% of ore can be recovered under ideal
condition.

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 Stope Ore Extraction - 2
*Failure of HW / stopes back causes excessive dilutions, loss of
sublevels and large chunks blocking draw points.
*Small, localized ground failure results in ground movement and
displacement of blast holes.
*Ground failure makes loading of blast hole difficult and in some
cases requires extensive drilling in stoping block.
*Sublevel stoping can be used up to 1 km depth.
*At great depth, stope pillars are crushed and tend to fail, causing
sub level stoping difficult.

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 Stope Ore Handling -1
*Ore collection system is constructed by undercutting
stop blocks.
*Haulage drift is situated at main level.
*Haulage drift can be below stope bottom or at level of
stope bottom.
*Distance between base of stope and haulage level
varies from 9 to 21 m.
*A foot wall drift is excavated at main level.
*Set of cross cut is excavated from foot wall drift to
level drive.
*This cross cuts are of regular interval, varying from 5
18
to 25m.
 Ore Handling Draw Points -1
*Draw point system, consist of loading cross cut, cone
(triangular excavation).
*Triangular excavation is extended up to floor of under
cut.
*Draw points are usually 9 m from center to center.
*Draw point system & under cut can be placed in same
level.
*In this system, development work is reduced.
*When undercut is placed above draw points, ore can be
loaded direct in to mine car from ore chute.
*This system avoids any use of loader for loading ore in
to mine car. 19
 Ore Handling Draw Points - 2
*Sublevel stoping uses long & large diameter hole.
*This has tendency to generate big boulder.
*Big boulders needs secondary blasting to brake.
*Blasting big boulder on grizzly or in side chute,
damages grizzly & chute.
*Blasting big boulder at ore draw point is most safe
situation.

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 Stope Ore Handling LHD -1
*Most modern system uses LHD (tire Mounted)
loading directly out of draw point.
*LHD then travel to ore peas.
*Remote controlled LHD has proved most successful
for loading out draw points under exposed condition,
particularity near end of stope life.
*LHD in turn load ore on to LPDT for hauling to ore
pass when ore pass is at distance.
*For longer hauling of ore is done by track mounted
cars.
*
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 Mechanised Sublevel Stoping *

With LHD, in Trench (Trough)

Mucking
UPPER LEVEL

S UPPER LEVEL

DIP
L SUB LEVEL UNDER DEVELOPMENT
O
T
DRILL JUMBO FOR DEVELOPMENT RAMP
R
A
I PRODUCTION DRILL JUMBO
S RAMP
E RAMP
EXCLOVE TRUCK
BLASTED MUCK
DRILL HOLE READY FOR BLASTING
ORE PASS
MUCKING TRENCH, TROUGH
LHD LPDT

MUCKING CROSS CUT LOWER LEVEL

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Ore Collection by LHD from Draw Point

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*

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 Stope Ore Handling Rocker Shovel - 1
*Mucking is done by air powered track mounted
rocker shovel.
*Rocker Shovel loads ore on to mine tub on rail track.
* Rocker Shovel over head dumping loader.
*In some cases, side dumping loader is also used
*

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Rocker Shovel at Sub Level Stoping*
*

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Ore Collection by Line Loader

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Sublevel Stoping
Production
Blasting
With
Ring hole
Pattern and
loading
system

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 Stope Ore Handling Grizzly -1
*Ore is directed from draw point through finger raises
to grizzly level.
*At grizzly level bigger pieces are broken by hammer
manually.
*In case bolder is big, it is blasted at grizzly level by
explosive.
*Secondary blasting is confined to grizzly level only.
*Ore is than directed for loading on mine car through
chute gate.
*This system is usually selected for very large stopes
where cost of development is offset by its longevity.
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 Stope Ore Handling Grizzly -2
*Ore is drawn directly into finger raises or chutes, when
ore breaks very fine.
*Ore and then loaded to mine car though chute gate.
*Some time up to ten draw points feed in to one slusher,
scrapper drift.
*Scrapper scrapes all ore to Single box.
*Ore from single box is directed to chute for loading in
to mine car.
*This system normally have a grizzly to arrest any
incidental boulders.
*Ore is normally transported by rail haulage system
(tub). 30
 Stope Ore Handling Grizzly -3
*Pan feeder is also used to load ore in to mine car in
place of chute gate.

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Ore Collection Directly on Car
Using
Scrapper
ore Directly
loaded on
car

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Ore Collection by Ore Pass
Ore
directly
loaded
trough
Grizzly on
to car

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 Production Drilling -1
*Production of ore form sub level stope is by blasting
long holes.
*Drill hole pattern design is done to achieve broken
ore of a particular size with minimum vibration &
damage to hang wall & foot wall.
*Drill hole pattern includes hole diameter, hole length,
orientation of hole, hole spacing, hole burden.
*Drill machine selected based on drill ability of ore,
required drilling accuracy & drilling speed,
*Hydraulic Drill machines mounted on truck has
become common for faster drilling & high level of
automation. 34
*Drilling
Production Drilling - 2
accuracy is very important for achieving
proper blasting result.
*For drilling long blast hole, drill rig should be able to
drill hole accurately with out deviation.
*

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 Production Drilling DTH - 1
*DTH (Down the Hole) Drill machines are deployed
for drilling long holes, because this machines are
cheap.
*DTH drill machines are mounted on column and arm
*DTH drill hammers are designed for rotary
percussive drilling system.
*High pressure pneumatic DTH machine operates by
air pressure of 12 bar.
*DTH can drill up to 229 mm dia (9 inch) hole up to
120m length with less than 2% deviation.
*Many drill machines has 360 degree ring drilling
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holes, includes up and down holes.
 Production Drilling DTH - 2
*DTH drilling machine is slower than Electro
hydraulic machines.
*DTH drill machines are not efficient in drilling
upward holes.
*

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 Production Drill Ring Pattern - 1
*Vertical holes, drilled from drill sill developed in
sublevel exposing HW and FW of stope gives best
blasting performance.
*Ring or parallel hole are drilled from sub levels,
sublevels are 18 to 120 m vertically apart.
*Parallel blast holes are drilled in steeply dipping
deposit.
*Ring pattern blast hole are drilled when ore body is
massive ore very thick.
*After introduction of drill rig, which can drill hole up
ward & down ward, HW & FW need not be exposed
at drill sill for drilling. 38
 Production Drill Ring Pattern - 2
*Size of blasted ore & powder factor decides blast hole
drilling pattern for particular ore.
*Normally, hole spacing varies from 2m to 6m and
burden varies from 1m to 2.5m.

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 Production Drill Downwards - 1
*From Sublevel, downward drilling is done in fan
pattern or ring pattern for production from stope.
*Drill holes are of 50mm to 200mm in diameter &
length up to 90m.
*Long hole drilling is followed, longer hole reduces
stope development cost.
*Parallel blast holes are drilled, where HW & FW can
be exposed.
*Some time parallel holes are followed, depending up
on shape of ore & distance between sublevel.
*Normally, length of parallel hole does not exceed
25m. 40
Draw Point Excavation

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*

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 Production Blasting - 1
*Stoping is done by blasting vertical slices in to an
expansion slots
*Large vertical slice of ore is blasted from sublevel.
*Ore falls in to large open stope created by previous
blast.
*Ore is blasted from sublevels.
*After blasting, broken ore falls at bottom of stope by
garvity.
*

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 Production Blasting - 2
*Explosive is selected based on required
fragmentation, hole size, spacing and burden, holes
conditions, water inflow, blast size, hardness etc.
*ANFO is most preferred explosive, because it is
cheapest explosive.
*ANFO can be freely poured in down holes on
pneumatically loaded in ring holes.
*Blast Holes in upward direction up to 150mm
diameter can be charged by ANFO by specially
constructed collar plug and cascading technique.
*ANFO can not be used, where water flow is a
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problem.*
 Production Blasting - 3
*In case blast watery hole is to be charged by ANFO,
blasting must take place with in few hours.
*Emulsion explosive is water proof, high density and
high velocity explosive.
*Emulsion explosive can be used for watery hole.
*Emulation explosive can be loaded in down holes or
up holes.
*Column loaded holes are simply loaded from toe to
collar with explosive.
*Deck loaded holes are loaded with alternating decks
of explosive and an inert stemming material.
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 Production Blasting - 4
*Decision to load a hole with either a column charge
or deck charge is based on consideration such as
allowable powder factors, hardness of ore, up holes
and down holes conditions, fragmentation
requirement, blast vibration.
*Special charges is used to blast large diameter down-
holes and charge height equal to six bore hole
diameter maintained with in hole (deck charging).
*Blasting is sequential, so that one ring of holes is
fired at a time,
*Rings are blasted in succession in to opening created
by blasting of previous ring. 46
 Production Blasting - 5
*Timing sequence of blast is critical to success of blast
and resultant fragmentation.
*Proper blast timing is critical in minimizing the effect
of excessive blast vibration and concussion effect
underground.
*Secondary blasting is necessary if primary blasting
has failed to sufficiently fragment ore to that can be
dealt with ore removal and hoisting equipment.
*Plaster shooting (Shaped charge) involves placing
explosive on top of bolder and boulder is shuttered
by detonating explosive.
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 Production Blasting - 6
*Secondary blasting is an expansive, time consuming
exercise.
*Close engineering control on primary drilling and
blasting will minimize frequency of secondary
blasting.
*Blasting cost is 10% of total mining cost and drilling
costs 30% of total mining cost.
*

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 Support - 1
*Stopes are contained & supported by crown pillar,
which protects level above, rib pillar and sill pillars,
through which ore collection system is cut.
*Vertical pillars are left in between two levels are
called rib pillars.
*Horizontal pillars are left to support main haulage
level.
*Horizontal pillars left to support upper level is called
crown pillar & for support lower level is called sill
pillars.
*
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 Support -2
*Ground control is minimized with sub level stoping,
because rock must be inherently strong.
*Different type of rock bolts and cable bolts are used
for local support.
*Some time regional stress have been shown to effect
stope design and dimensions.
*Regional stress are to be managed by local support.
*Large open stope can leads to concentrate high
horizontal stress and cause severe deteriation in
development opening in close proximity of stopes
*Cable bolting has proved very successful for full stop
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wall support using cable up to 45m longh. 37
 Support - 3
*Cables are normally installed from blasting sub level
during blast hole development.
*Resign anchor bolts are most successful, but cement
grout bolts are also used.
*Variety of cables are used for cable bolting from old
hoist rope and low relaxation strand rope / cable.

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Sublevel Stoping with Scraper* *

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Support Sublevel Stoping
Stopes
drives and
other
adjoining
areas are
supported
by Rock
Bolts.

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Support Sublevel Stoping
HW of stopes are
supported by cable bolts in
holes drilled from blasting
sub level

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 Filling -1
*Large opening created by sublevel stoping typically
requires back filling.
*Back fill includes rock and sand fill, cemented rock
fill, cemented hydraulic tailing fill, high density
tailing or alluvial fill.
*Back fill allows for future recovery of support pillar.
*Recovery of pillars leads to 90% recovery of ore.
*Back filling minimizes occurrence of subsidence &
allows for re-distribution of stress created by mining
cycle.
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 Filling - 2
*Back filling minimizes frequency of rock bursting.
*Back filling has also been used successfully to
eliminate rib pillars between stopes.
*Back fill should have sufficient cement to form a self
supporting unit.
*Cemented back fill is not economical when pillar
recovery is not possible.
*In case ore pillars are not to be recovered, ordinary
back fill (non cemented) is used for controlling
subsidence.
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 Filling - 3
*Back filling, by mill tailing also reduces volume &
surface land requirement for tailing pond.
*Underground disposal of tailing also reduces
pollution load on surface.
*Support pillars (rib pillar) are left in ore body, which
are removed after adjacent stope being filled up
cemented fill.
*Rib pillars are some time replaced by filled stopes.
*Pillars are removed through large scale blasting,
when stope is exhausted.
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 Filling - 3
*Rib pillars are some time replaced by filled stopes.
*Pillars are removed through large scale blasting,
when stope is exhausted.
*Stopes are to be filled, when caving is unacceptable
and minimize underground stress.
*Filling of stopes also facilitate pillar removal.
*Stopes are to be filled, when caving is unacceptable
and minimize underground stress.
*Filling of stopes also facilitate pillar removal.

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Sublevel Stoping
Pillar
system
Sublevel
Over hand
Stoping.

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Sublevel Stoping

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Back Fill Sublevel Stoping
Stopes are
cemented
back filled
for pillar
recovery.

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 Transverse Sub Level Stoping- 1
*For deposit more than 20m wide, sublevel stop can be
formed in transverse direction ie from foot wall to
hang wall ( Transverse Stope).
*This method requires considerable development

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 Under Hand Sublevel Stoping - 1
*Stoping starts by blasting topmost most sublevel face,
then moves progressively down wards.
*Individual sublevel is blasted by upper hand drilling.
*Face blasting is carried out vertically.
*Mucking is done from bottom of stope draw point at
sill pillar.
*Under hand sublevel is practiced for improving
stability of stope.
23

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 Under Hand Sublevel Stoping - 2
*Underhand sublevel is safe for weak ore body as man are working at
well supported sill pillar and level below.
*Sill pillar supported by ore body below, remains in better shape under
pressure.
*Under hand sublevel method has mucking problem.
*Uranium, Fluorine-Fluorite Mine, Colorado, USA

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24
Under Hand Sublevel Stoping

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 Advantages -1
*Sublevel stoping is very safe mining method by virtue
of design.
*Miner work only under conditioned ground, that has
been secured by means of rock bolts, cable bolts and
artificial support.
*Miners are not required to be in broken ground.
*Mining system is retreating from unsupported to
supported area.
*High level of mechanization helps in reducing
exposure of workmen.
*Remote controlled LHD (cordless control) prevents
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workers to go to unsupported stope portion. 41
 Advantages - 2
*Drill Machines can be operated remotely, reducing
exposure of driller.
*Blasting in sub level stoping is done once in a while
and blasting is done from safe refuse station of from
surface.
*Workers only enter in stope after all blasting fume
are exhausted by means of fan.
*Long cross section of drift, raise, decline allows large
ventilation air flow in mine.

42 67
 Advantages - 3
*Miner works with in sublevel opening.
*Continuous availability of ore, as there is no suspension of
work for filling.
*Low cost per ton of ore extracted.
*Number of workers in stope are few.
*As no draw points have to be developed or formed at top level,
production from top levels can be started early.
*Workers do not have to enter stopes so operations are safe.
*Workers should how ever keep back from brow of stope &
guard against falling rocks.
*Retread mining results in minimum maintenance of road ways.
*There is good ventilation through sublevel.
*Mechanization in drilling, loading & transport is possible.68
 Advantages – 4
*Workers should how ever keep back from brow of
stope & guard against falling rocks.
*Retread mining results in minimum maintenance of
road ways.
*There is good ventilation through sublevel.
*Mechanization in drilling, loading & transport is
possible.

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 Advantages - 5
*Sublevel stoping is very amenable to mechanization,
stoping efficiency is very high.
*Sublevel stoping is high production, low cost
mechanized method
*Sublevel stoping is safe and easy to ventilate.
*Ore recovery is high, 90% with pillar recovery.
*Blasting is done periodically and highly skilled
blasting crew.
*Ore production starts immediately after blasting.

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 Advantages -6
*Sublevel stoping is primarily under ground method, when
surface mining of the deposit is no longer economical &
surface subsidence is not allowed .
*Recent de4velopment of long hole reliable drilling, blasting
has made this method acceptable to mining industries.
*Drilling, blasting, loading are independed of each other.
*This permits high utilization of equipment, high out put
with few units & mining personal.
*Result is high productivity from concentrated area
*

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 Disadvantages - 1
*Sublevel stoping is capital intensive (large development cost)
*Sublevel stoping is not selective, most of ore has to be mined.
*Sublevel stope is very inefficient at low dip (dilution gees up
significantly).
*Secondary may require evacuation of stopes for not exposing
worker to blasting fume.
*Development cost is 30% of total mining cost.
*Sublevel stoping is not suitable at depth more tham 1km.

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 Disadvantages - 2
*Preparation for stoping is heavy & some what
complicated.
*For good results & economy, longer hole drilling is
essential & procurement of suitable drilling rig is
important.
*Production drill rig can not be used for stope
development.
*Selective mining is difficult.
*All ore in vertical plan has to be extracted.

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 *

END

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