DESING AND OPERATION OF CAVING AND SUBLEVEL STOPING MINES
3. Higher productivity than slusher drifts.
4. Lower cost than gravity system.
5. Allows easier handling of larger boulders.
Disadvantages – Load – Haul – Dump Draw
System.
1. Larger openings that are susceptible to
caving if excessive ground weight develops.
2. Requires wider drawpoint spacing along
draw drift. Therefore, it is more applicable to
coarse – breaking ore.
3. More experienced operating and
maintenance personnel required.
Analysis of Draw Systems
Capital estimates for the three systems
usually show that the gravity system is the
highest. A present value analysis of the
capital cost and operating savings can be
performed, but the most important factor in
determining the draw system may be the ore
extraction results that are anticipated.
As noted earlier, draw control can be better
administered with the gravity system since it
lends itself to more positive control and
better ore accountability. Also, a major
disadvantage of both the slusher and LHD
method is that of access if drifts take weight,
cave, and restrict entry. The gravity system
can experience a great deal of squeezing –
off of grizzly drifts and still remain productive
as long as the worker can gain access to the
drawpoints. Obviously a larger opening is
required for the scraper to continue
operating and an even larger opening is
necessary for LHD units. Both scraper and
LHD methods not only require access of the
worker to drawpoints, but also necessitate
movement of equipment (scraper and LHD
unit) to transport the ore. Clearly the choice
of draw methods is not determined by costs
alone, and later in this report it will be shown
that an actual decision involved a
compromise of costs and anticipated
operating results.
UNDERCUT LEVEL
Decisions concerning layout, amount, and
direction of undercutting should be made
only after considering the available options.
These factors are important, but this is one
of the most common areas in mine planning
Where the method selected is based on
personal preference or the experience of the
mine planner. Study and analysis, however,
should be undertaken, particularly since
one’s experience may not have encompassed
the most economical approach.
Development
Development of the undercut level usually
starts at a special raise or off the top of
drawpoints. From here drifts are advanced
over the top of other drawpoints until the
block is sufficiently developed to allow the
start of undercutting. This activity requires
decisions on elevation of undercut level, size
of undercut drift, pattern of development,
and quantity of ore to be blasted in
undercutting.
Elevation of Undercut – The height of the
undercut level above the base of the
drawpoint varies from mine to mine, but in
recent years the use of concrete support has
allowed this interval to be held to a
minimum. A low-height interval gives
shorter, lower-cost draw raises and easier
access to hangups, but these advantages are
often offset to some degree by the fact that
it provides less support or solid ground over
the back of the draw drift and the floor of
the undercut drift is too thin, it will provide
little support and will erode and deteriorate
as ore is drawn through the drawpoints.
The pros and cons of this design feature may
be listed as follows:
Advantages of Short Draw Raises
(ii) Easier access to hangups.
(iii) Shorter development time.
(iv) Fewer hangups. Which allows better
draw control.
Disadvantages of Short Draw Raises
(i) Higher drift maintenance cost.
(ii) Disruption of draw caused by caving of
drifts.
The development savings of shorter draw
raises can be accurately calculated, but
unfortunately the extra costs or savings of
the other factors noted above are difficult to
quantify. The disadvantages are dependent
to a great extent on the operational
activities, and may be reduced to some
extent by correct undercutting and draw
procedures. Certainly the mine planner
would not choose a low-level interval if it
was likely to cause severe support problems
in the draw drift. The losses resulting from a
closed draw drift can be so high that any
design likely to allow this should be avoided.
If access to the drawpoints is restricted,
production will be lost, poor draw control
incurred, and support conditions allow,
raises should be held to a minimum since
development savings alone can be
significant, as indicated below.
In the example given earlier, draw raises
were necessary and a raise height of 5
meters’ vas assumed. However, if poor
ground conditions were encountered, then
perhaps 10 meter raises would be necessary.
This would mean an extra 420 meters of
raising at $400 permeter, or $160,000 in
increased development cost per block, and
assuming 180 blocks, the savings over the
mine’s life would be quite significant,
amounting to over $30 million.
Size and Support of Undercut Drift – the size
and support of the undercut drifts are
influenced primarily by the strength of the
ore on the undercut level. Ideally, minimum
support is desired in this area since it must
all be removed when the draw commences,
but in actual practice, some form of support
is necessary. Generally, support is a simple
wooden cap and post set or rock bolts used
initially to support random slabs, but as
undercutting progresses and weight
develops, support is required, since spalling
can be removed without the drift becoming
too oversized. Pillars are reduced in size
during undercutting and spalling may be
considered a part of pillar removal. Drilling
and blasting of the back of the undercut level
may be undertaken simultaneously with
pillar removal and the depth of this drilling
influenced by the caving action expected. If
strong, competent rock is anticipated, caving
can be aided by removing a thicker, caving
can be aided by removing a thicker, higher
undercut. Caving can also be assisted by the
use of boundary weakening.
Block sequence – A checkerboard or isolated
block layout of caving stopes was in favor at
one time, but generally this practice has
given way to the panel or continuous
sequence of design. The checkerboard
system claimed to provide more flexibility
and quicker development, and also give
better control by decentralizing operations.
The fact that many blocks, particularly those
in the early stages of production, have four