MINING METHODS

Ore bodies come in every imaginable geometric shape. While surface hard rock mines
apply the “Open Pit” method to almost any ore configuration, a large number of
underground mining methods have been developed primarily in response to the
requirements of differing geometry and the geomechanical properties of the host and
surrounding rock.

The underground mining methods presented in this chapter are mainly applicable to
hard rock mines. Softer, non-metallic ores, such as coal, salt, potash, trona (soda ash),
and oil shale are often amenable to different methods than those described in this
chapter.

A few of the underground mining methods, such as, Avoca and Vertical Crater Retreat
(VCR ), were patented resulting in new names for variations (Modified Avoca and
Modified VCR). Moreover, different names are often applied to the same mining method
(Blasthole Stoping and Longhole Open Stoping are frequently used to refer to the same
mining method). Other mining method names are merely variations or closer definition
of others (Sublevel Stoping is typically Blasthole carried out with more than one drill drift
per level interval and Sublevel Retreat simply defines the direction of the mining).

The many underground mining methods are difficult to categorize rationally because
each application depends not only on orebody geometry, but includes other
considerations, such as ground conditions, grade distribution, scale of operations, as
well as the presence of structures (i.e. faults, dykes, etc.).

One logical procedure to categorize mining methods is to divide them into the following
three generic classifications.

• Methods producing openings naturally supporting or requiring minimum artificial

support (Room and Pillar, etc.)

• Methods requiring substantial artificial support (Cut and Fill, etc.)

• Caving methods where failure of the back (roof) is integral to the extraction process
(Block Caving, etc.)

A more popular way to categorize mining methods is to divide the mining methods into
bulk mining (Blasthole, etc.) and selective mining (Drift and Fill, etc.).