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NEW PERSPECTIVE OF WET MUCK RISK MAP : LESSON LEARNED FROM WET
MUCK SPILL IN COARSE FRAGMENTATION AT DEEP ORE ZONE (DOZ) BLOCK
CAVING MINE, PAPUA, INDONESIA

Conference Paper · October 2015

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 1

PROCEEDINGS TPT XXIV DAN KONGRES IX PERHAPI 2015

NEW PERSPECTIVE OF WET MUCK RISK MAP : LESSON LEARNED

FROM WET MUCK SPILL IN COARSE FRAGMENTATION AT DEEP
ORE ZONE (DOZ) BLOCK CAVING MINE, PAPUA, INDONESIA
Mochamad Ramadhan, Danny Wicaksono, Dhani Haflil, Bambang Antoro
Underground Mine Geology Department, PT Freeport Indonesia, Tembagapura, Papua
Email : Mochamad_Ramadhan@fmi.com; Danny_Wicaksono@fmi.com;
Dhani_Haflil@fmi.com; Bambang_Antoro@fmi.com

ABSTRACT
Deep Ore Zone (DOZ) Block Caving Mine is one of mine location in COWA PT
Freeport Indonesia which contains 175 million tons at 0.57% Cu and 0.71 g/ton Au, operated
since 2000 with average production about 60k tons/day. DOZ Block Caving Mine consist of
two different deposits, East Ertsberg Skarn System (EESS) is a calcium-magnesium silicate
skarn which located north-east at DOZ Mine, and Erstberg Stockwork Zone (ESZ), stockwork
zone emplaced inside Ertsberg diorite, located southwest and adjacent to EESS.
Production rate and mine pattern in DOZ Mine have resulted numerous mine operational
challenges and one of the most dangerous one is wetmuck spill hazard. Wet muck is defined as
a mixture of fine grained material and water which has potential to result in a sudden outflow
from draw point or other underground excavation and triggered by mining activities. One of the
DOZ Mine Geology Group’s effort to determine and anticipate potential wetmuck spill is by
creating potential wetmuck risk map. DOZ potential wetmuck risk map is calculated from
wetness, fragmentation (fine materials < 5cm) and halo percentage, materials from previous
mine, height of draw (HOD) and number of days no mucking activity. Parameters collected
from weekly drawpoints data and historical database from wetmuck spill event at middle to
north in DOZ Mine.
Parallel with cave development and mine production to southern-west panels (ESZ
reserve), wetmuck also occurred in drawpoint which consist of dominant coarse fragmentation
(more than 50% material of grain size >5cm).
Drilling data showed that southern-west panels of DOZ Mine (ESZ reserve), lies below
zone of diorite rocktype with RQD less than 30%- 50%, also known as Fractured Diorite Zone.
Based on RQD characterization, Fractured Diorite Zone is become water trap that potentially
trigger massive water inflow into DOZ Mine. High debit water occurrences, hung up and pack
muck drawpoints, lateral movement and rilling material (from fine grain material in the north)
are triggering factor which influence wetmuck flow in drawpoints with coarse fragmentation.
Combination of new parameter triggering wetmuck spill at southern area and parameter
in previous wetmuck risk map will provide better understanding and help Operation Group to
increase awareness of wetmuck concern area especially at southern DOZ Mine.

Keywords : Block Caving Mine, Wetmuck Spill Hazard, Wetmuck Risk Map.
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INTRODUCTION

Deep Ore Zone (DOZ) mine is underground block caving mine located in PT. Freeport
Indonesia contract of work (COW) A, in Ertsberg mining district within central highlands of
Papua, after Gunung Bijih Timur (GBT) Mine and Intermediate Ore Zone (IOZ) Mine (Figure.
1). GBT block cave was in operation from 1980 to 1993 and produced about 60 million tons of
ore. IOZ block cave was started in 1994 and produced over 50 million tons of ore till 2003 DOZ
mine has produced about 175 million tons of ore with 0.57% Cu and 0.71 g/ton Au, operated
since 2000 with production was about 60,000 tons/day.

Figure.1 – The EESS map (red circle at Papua legend) showing location of GBT Surface,
IOZ, DOZ, and DMLZ Block Cave Mines.

DOZ block caving mine is an underground mine that utilizes gravity flow system at three main
levels, which are (1) Undercut Level at 3146 meters, (2) Extraction Level at 3126 meters, and
(3) Haulage Level at 3076-3079 meters. Undercut level is useful for induce a cave and provide
a facility to reduce effects of induced abutment stress. Extraction level is production area which
is composed of drawpoints with columns height up to 500 meters. ore is mucking from
drawpoints, dumping into grizzly, and through to haulage level by gravity flow system for
transports ore to conveyor (Laubscher, D., 2000). There are 39 panels at the extraction level
with a total of 1352 drawpoints designed in a herringbone layout. Undercutting was initiated in
2000 in the central section of the DOZ and the mine initially developed and cave propagated
towards the southeast. From about 2004, DOZ mine developed towards the northwest in
forsterite-magnetite skarn and endoskarn material. From about 2009, DOZ mine also started
developing towards the south and southwest in mainly ESZ diorite and stockwork ore with
minor endoskarn and more recently EESS low grade forsterite skarn material.

The production level of the DOZ block cave lies at a depth of about 1200 meters below the
surface and has column heights up to 500 meters. Occurrences of fine material as a result of
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increased column height, along with increasing production rate and unbalanced mine pattern
makes DOZ mine has special condition which raises different challenges in block caving
operational issues, and the most dangerous one is wet muck spill. Wet muck is defined as a
mixture of fine grained material and water which has potential to result in a sudden outflow
from draw point or other underground excavation and triggered by mining activities. Potential
impacts of wet muck spill are relative to fatality (loss of live) and economic loss (loss of reserve,
production, and property).

GEOLOGICAL, GEOTECHNICAL, AND HYDROLOGY CONDITION IN DOZ

MINE

DOZ Block Caving Mine consist of two different deposits, East Ertsberg Skarn System (EESS)
is a calcium-magnesium silicate skarn which located north-east at DOZ Mine, and Erstberg
Stockwork Zone (ESZ), stockwork zone emplaced inside Ertsberg diorite, located southwest
and adjacent to EESS. EESS is calcium-magnesium silicate skarn which formed by alteration reaction
of carbonate rock from Tertiary Waripi and Faumai Formations. Both of formations were deposited on
northern margin of the Australian passive shelf which collision with Pacific Plate from about
15-12 Ma ago to about 3Ma caused shortening and formed regionally extensive NW-SE
trending central mountain belt.

Early formed thrusts and related folds were later steepened and thrusts reactivated as strike-slip
faults. Localized igneous bodies were intruded in a relatively narrow period at the end of
deformation between about 4.5Ma and 2.7Ma. Second stage of deformation began after 4
million ages and resulted in some local zones of NW trending strike slip faults with left lateral
offset and brecciated zones for about 10 meters. In DOZ Block Cave Mine, left strike slip faults
are known as Erstberg 1, Erstberg 2, and South Fault. Those faults controlled emplacements of
Ertsberg Diorite, a 3.25 Ma intrusive, which intruded southern flank of syncline and obliterating
those pre-existing faults. Intrusion of Ertsberg Diorite initiate contact metamorphism and
followed by metasomatic alteration (Coutts et al, 1999). Copper and gold solutions migrated
into and controlled by faults to produce EESS complex of mineralization from GBT Surface,
IOZ, DOZ, and DMLZ Block Cave Mines. The stockwork part, Ertsberg Stockwork Zone
(ESZ), is hosted entirely within Ertsberg intrusion approximately 50-200m south to southwest
of EESS. ESZ deposit contains copper and gold. ESZ veining system is formed by a
hydrothermal event generated by intrusion of late porphyry dikes in the barren equigranular
Ertsberg Diorite.

Based on geology condition and mineral deposition, DOZ reserve divided in two Rock mass
characteristic, (1) DOZ East Ertsberg Skarn System (EESS) characterized by forsterite-
diopside, forsterite-magnetite, and marble generally fair-poor RQD condition and Q value
ranged to 0.1-40 (2) DOZ Ertsberg Stockwork Zone (ESZ) characterized by diorite and
endoskarn rocktype with joint infill by quartz, chalcopyrite, pyrite and anhydrite generally good
RQD and Q value ranged 20-45 (Table. 1). Two rocktypes in DOZ with two different
hardness/competency, therefore form different fragmentation character, (1) fine-medium
fragmentation at northern DOZ area and (2) coarse-medium fragmentation in southern DOZ.
 4

Table. 1 – RQD and Q-system for rock types of the DOZ Block Cave Mine (Sahupala et
al., 2008)
Rock Type RQD Q-System

Diorite 80 – 90 20 – 45

Forsterite Skarn 50 – 80 10 – 40

Magnetite Skarn 70 – 80 8 – 40

Forsterite - Magnetite Skarn 50 – 60 8 – 30

DOZ Breccia / HALO 10 – 40 0.1 – 4

Marble 10 – 40 0.1 – 4

Three main sources of water have potential to flow into DOZ mine are groundwater in water
bearing zones/aquifers, surface water, and water trapped in the old mines (Syaifullah et al.,
2006). EESS hydrogeology is controlled by geology features which are related to structural
zones and contact zones between rock units, water-bearing zone, and associated with existing
structures within the area.

WET MUCK SPILL ANALYSIS

Wet muck is defined as a mixture of fine grained material and water which has potential to
result in a sudden outflow from draw point or other underground excavation. Wet muck spills
or mud rush can occur when there is more than 20% material of sand-size particles (<2mm)
with water content greater than 8.5% or more than 80% saturation (CNI et al., 1998).

There are four elements required for a mud rush/wet muck to occur (Butcher et al., 2000):
A. Potential mud-forming materials must be present,
B. Water must be present,
C. A disturbance of the mud, in the form of drawing or other mining activity must occur,
D. Discharge points must be present through which the mud can enter the mine workings.

Three conditions for the wet muck/mud-forming material (Nicholas et al., 2011):
1. The material must be fine grain (grain size < 5cm) with more than 20% grain size > 5cm,
2. The material has to be loose grain (less than 90% optimum density),
3. The material must be saturated or near saturated (80%).

Fine and loose grains come from low RQD rocks in the DOZ Block Cave Mine reserve such as
Forsterite Skarn, Marble, and DOZ Breccia / HALO. Rate of saturation is influenced by the
water appearance. High rate of rainfall inflow through the subsidence surface at the top of the
EESS area is the main source of the water. In general, the water bearing zones around the DOZ
could be divided as follows:
 Sedimentary units and its associated structures at north side.
 Fractured Diorite and its associated structures at south side.
 Cave Boundary zones.
 5

Surface water is related to the high rainfall 5500 mm/year which infiltrates from the catchment
area (approximately 3 km2) through the cave. Tracer tests have been conducted to determine
travel time from subsidence to the extraction level. Tracer test has shown that the rate of
rainwater percolation down the approximately 1200 m to the DOZ extraction level has
increased over time. This has changed from 14 days in 2000 to 4 days in September 2005 and
2007, to 24 hours in September 16th 2011 (Barito, 2012) . In the inaccessible, abandoned upper
mines (GBT and IOZ), some minor water traps are created due to development elevation change
where rainfall or peripheral groundwater can accumulate and flow before infiltrating to the
current DOZ mine (Widijanto et al., 2012).

Since 2012, EESS material has been found in drawpoints where only ESZ material was
expected. About 10-30% EESS low grade forsterite skarn is consistently found in the central
actively mined drawpoints and is spreading southwards. Forsterite skarn is a white fine-grained
granular material type and occurs in drawpoints as small fragments (<5cm) which can easily be
distinguished from coarser (>5cm) diorite, endoskarn and ESZ material. This indicates that
lateral movement and rilling is moving EESS material into the southern drawpoints where ESZ
ores should predominate (Figure. 2) (Haflil et al.,2014).

Figure. 2 – Comparison of forsterite skarn distribution during 3rd quarter (left) and 4th
quarter (right) 2013. Forsterite skarn ore increases in abundance and distance towards
the southwest in diorite dominant drawpoints

Besides lateral migration of EESS skarn material into southern drawpoints, wetness and fine
grained material in those drawpoints have also increased. Wet drawpoints were previously only
found in mature northern high HOD drawpoints, where secondary EESS material fragmentation
size is fine and clay, sticky material is common. Studies in DOZ mine on mud-rush events and
wetmuck spills show that mud-rush potential increases when drawpoint is wet, contains
abundant fine grained (<5cm) EESS skarn material and HOD is high. These conditions used to
be found mostly in the northern parts of DOZ mine, where unbalanced mining pattern has
created pack-muck conditions and potential water accumulation in cave. Recent increase of
wetness, fine and sticky material in southern drawpoints increases potential for mud-rush or
wetmuck spill events in those areas, which will force the cave management group to implement
more remote loader operated LHD and result in reduced production.
 6

WET MUCK SPILL HAZARD MAP AND VISUALISATION

DOZ wetmuck spill hazard map is a map for predicted distribution of wetmuck spill hazard in
DOZ mine based on calculation from several parameters which triggered wetmuck spill.
Previous wetmuck hazard map are calculated from four elements required for a mud rush/wet
muck spill : potential mud-forming materials (fragmentation (% fine materials < 5cm), % Clay
and Halo, % materials from previous mine (IOZ materials)), water (wetness), mining activity
(number of days no mucking), and discharge point (height of draw (HOD)) (Wicaksono et al,
2012).

Parallel with cave development and mine production to southern-west panels (ESZ reserve),
wetmuck also occurred in drawpoint which consist of dominant coarse fragmentation (more
than 50% material of grain size >5cm) with low HOD (Figure. 3). First wetmuck spill event in
southern part of DOZ mine occurred in July 2013 when approximately 200m3 of wet mud
materials spilled from adjacent drawpoints. Visual analysis of mud-rush material identified 10-
5% EESS forsterite skarn material together with 85-90% ESZ diorite and endoskarn material
(Figure. 4). Since then, repeated spill events have occurred and are spreading to more southerly
drawpoints.

Figure. 3 – Rocktype versus Spill events graphic, showing increase of wetmuck spill
events in diorite and endoskarn rocktype dominated drawpoints since 2013.

Based on current evidence of wetmuck spill, Underground Geology department formulate new
calculation factor in wetmuck risk map which improve prediction at southern panel (ESZ
reserves with coarse fragmentation). New wetmuck risk map will include more specific
drawpoints zonation below water trap (Fractured Diorite Zone, Structural Zone, and Cave
Boundary Zone), and calculate drawpoint adjacent/around Hung Up and/or Pack Muck
Drawpoints.
 7

Figure. 4 – Wetmuck spill event sampling at P02-21W, showing diorite-endoskarn dominated

rocktype and coarse fragmentation (65% > 5cm).

Based on this study we include zonation below water trap (Fractured Diorite Zone, Structural
Zone, and Cave Boundary Zone) in our New Potential Hazard Map for Wet Muck flow. Drilling
data showed that southern-west panels of DOZ Mine (ESZ reserve), lies below zone of diorite
rocktype with RQD less than 30%- 50%, also known as Fractured Diorite Zone (Figure. 5).
Based on RQD characterization, Fractured Diorite Zone is become water trap that potentially
trigger massive water inflow into DOZ Mine. Wetness and days no mucking activity already
include in calculation and we insert mucking pattern and water trap zonation to showing
distribution of mucking and water in drawpoint area.

Figure. 5 – Section view wetmuck spill event at P03-31W, showing diorite-endoskarn

dominated rocktype with low HOD, located below Fractured Diorite Zone (left), section
view of Fractured Diorite Zone, showing water intersected by drilling and general RQD
<50% (right).
 8

Combine with previous wetmuck hazard map aspect, all the aspect will be encoded to number,
calculate and give weighting, it encoded into 0-100 to get fair weighting (Table. 2).
Fragmentation, % Clay and Halo, and % IOZ materials was recorded as percentage 0-100%.
Mining activity factor from previous map calculate days of no mucking activity and from new
risk map will include Hung-up and Pack muck drawpoints and its impact to adjacent and/or
nearby drawpoints. From previous risk map, wetness recorded as Wet, Dry, Moist, and new risk
map will divide wetness into Wet (Water Flowing), Wet (Water Dripping), Moist, and Dry.
Height of draw (HOD) are calculated by Cave Management Group reported as number from 0-
more than 500 and number of days no mucking activity are recorded as number 0-more than 30
days.

Table. 2 – Calculation and weighting parameters of wet muck spill triggered and
wetmuck risk level.

High Risk Low Risk Weight High Score Mid Score Low Score
HOD DOZ Extraction Level from IOZ Extraction (%) 70 10 4 280 160 40
IOZ Materials (%) 25 5 3 75 45 15
HALO + Clay/Sticky Materials (%) 25 5 1 25 15 5
Wet condition (%) 75 25 6 450 300 150
No mucking activity (in days) 60 15 2 120 75 30
Fine grained (<5cm) material (%) 75 25 5 375 250 125

The result of calculation will be divided into low, medium and high risk, it combined with the
drawpoint condition (open, temporary closed, closed, planned) and encoded it by Microsoft
Excel, the formula only used for active drawpoint (open drawpoint).

The Wetmuck Risk Map will showing on 2D map, combine data from parameter calculation,
potential water zone zonation, and mucking pattern, and give information of wetmuck spill risk
of each drawpoint (Figure. 6).

Figure. 6 - The New Wet Muck Spill Risk Map result from calculation, showing risk
from low, medium and high risk of wet muck spill for each drawpoints.
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CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION

Potential wetmuck hazard map is one of effort from DOZ Geology group to anticipate and
predict wetmuck event distribution, and provide better understanding and help Operation Group
to increase awareness of wetmuck concern area especially at southern DOZ Mine.

New formulate wetmuck hazard map combine parameters from previous wetmuck hazard map
aspects with more specific drawpoints zonation below water trap potential, more detail specific
wetness condition, hung up and/or pack muck drawpoints, and effect from migration material
from northern DOZ mine. Nevertheless, the system still need to improve by adding another
triggering factor like seismic event, and blasting event for more comprehensive data.
Sustainable study about wet muck characteristic is very important to increase our safety
awareness and resolve problems that will arise in several block caving mine, like DMLZ mine
and GBC mine.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors would like to thank the management of PT. Freeport Indonesia and the Geoservices
Division management for giving the permission to publish this paper as well as the DOZ mine
geology group for all their efforts and hard work.

REFERENCES

Barito, U., Putra, F., 2012, Internal Report: DOZ Tracer Test Result 2011, Tembagapura,
Papua, Indonesia, pp. 1-6.

Butcher R., Stacey T.R., Joughin W.C. 2007. Mudrushes in Caving Operations and Their
Prevention. Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on Block and Sub-Level Caving
(pp. 265-279). Cape Town, South Africa.

CNI Inc., Freeport McMoran Copper and Gold Co., Hydrology Consultants Inc (1998). IOZ
Wetmuck Study. PT Freeport Internal Report

Coutts B.P. et al (1999). Geology of the Deep Ore Zone, Erstberg East Skarn System, Irian
Jaya. Proceedings of AusIMM PACRIM Conference. Bali, Indonesia.

Haflil,D., De Jong, G., Wicaksono,D., Soebari, L., 2014, Evidence of Lateral Movement-
Rilling and Mining Implications in the DOZ (Deep Ore Zone) Block Cave Mine, Papua,
Indonesia, unpublished.

Laubscher, D., 2000, A Practical Manual On Block Caving, ICS, pp. 80-84, 155, 306.

Nicholas, D. E., Standridge, L,. Rachmad, L. I., 2011, Technical Review Of Possible Cause(s)
Of The 18 April 2011 Muck Spill In Panel 2 At PT Freeport Indonesia’s DOZ/ESZ Mine, 6p.
 10

Sahupala, H., Brannon, C., Annavarapu, S., Osborne, K., 2008, Recovery Of Extraction Pillars
In The Deep Ore Zone (DOZ) Block Cave PT Freeport Indonesia, 5th International Conference
and Exhibition on Mass Mining, Lulea Sweden, pp. 208-209.

Syaifullah T., Widijanto E., Srikant A. 2006. Water Issues in DOZ Block Cave Mine, PT
Freeport Indonesia. Proceedings of the Water in Mining 2006 (pp. 361-368). Brisbane
Australia.

Wicaksono, D., Silalahi, P., Sriyanto, I., Soebari, L., Ekaputra, A., Jong, G., 2012. Potential
Hazard Map for The Wet Muck Flow Prevention at The Deep Ore Zone (DOZ) Block Cave
Mine, Papua, Indonesia, Proceedings TPT XXI PERHAPI, (pp. 1-2). Jakarta, Indonesia.

Widijanto E., Sunyoto W., Wilson AD., Yudanto W., Soebari L.2012. Lessons Learned in Wet
Muck Management in Ertsberg East Skarn System of PT Freeport Indonesia. Proceedings of
MassMin 2012. Singapore.

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