Influence of stope sill design on the loss from freezing of muck during ore drawing in conditions of negative temperatures in the working excavation

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2023-2-57-61
Читать на русскоя языкеD.N. Petrov, V.P. Zubkov
Chersky Mining Institute of the North, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk, Russian Federation
Russian Mining Industry №1 / 2023 р. 57-61

Abstract: The use of mining methods with caving and ore drawing under overlying broken rocks, which provide high mining productivity at relatively low costs for rock pressure control, is very promising in the underground mining of ore deposits in the North-East of Russia, which is characterized by harsh climatic, mining, geological and geographical conditions. However, the possibility of freezing of broken ore in the working excavation can significantly reduce the efficiency of the drawing technology. The article considers the influence of the stope sill design on the loss of ore mass from freezing during drawing. The studies were carried out using the method of physical modeling, on a special stand. Two options of the stope sill design, which were installed in the workbench for simulate ore drawing, were provided. The first option of the stope sill was a trench connected to the access crosscut, the second option was made a series of bells with box holes. Experimental drawings for each design option of the stope sill were made in a cryochamber at the temperature of –5°C. Three series of ore drawing were performed with the ore moisture content of 0%, 0.5% and 1%. Experimental studies on a physical model determined the qualitative patterns of changes in the loss of broken ore from freezing in the working excavation during ore drawing, depending on the design of the stope sill. The results of the conducted studies showed that the increase in the loss of broken ore from freezing in the working excavation when drawing through bells with box holes is 46%, through a trench and access crosscut 22%. The results obtained will be necessary in the development of recommendations to justify the optimal designs of the stope sill.

Keywords: cryolithozone, mining method, block caving, sublevel caving, ore drawing, modeling, stope sill design, freezing of broken ore

Acknowledgments: The research was carried out within the state assignment of Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (theme No. 0297-2021-0020, reg. No. 122011800086-1) shared core facilities of the Federal Research Center “Yakutsk Science Center SB RAS” grant No. 13.ЦКП.21.0016. The authors express their gratitude to colleagues for their assistance in conducting the research.

For citation: Petrov D.N., Zubkov V.P. Influence of stope sill design on the loss from freezing of muck during ore drawing in conditions of negative temperatures in the working excavation. Russian Mining Industry. 2023;(2):57–61. https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2023-2-57-61


Article info

Received: 02.03.2023

Revised: 04.04.2023

Accepted: 10.04.2023


Information about the authors

Dmitriy N. Petrov – Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Head of the Laboratory, Chersky Mining Institute of the North, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk, Russian Federation; e-mail: petrovdn74@ mail.ru

Vladimir. P. Zubkov – Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Deputy Director for Science, Senior Researcher, Chersky Mining Institute of the North, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk, Russian Federation


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