Presentation on

stoping methods

Presented by:
A.Prudhvi Raj,(17555A2612)
A.Ravi Kumar,(17555A2619)
K.Shashi Kumar,(17555A2648)
 CONTENTS
Definition of stoping.
Classifications of stoping methods:
a)shrinkage stoping.
b)sub level stoping.
c)cut and fill stoping.
d)square set stoping.
 Application
 Advantages
 Disadvantages
• Stoping:
 Stoping is the process of extracting the desired ore or other mineral from an underground mine, leaving
behind an open space known as a stope.

 Stoping is used when the country rock is sufficiently strong not to collapse into the stope, although in most
cases artificial support is also provided.
 classification of stoping methods:
a) stopes naturally supported:

1. Open stopes:
*sublevel stoping.
*long hole stoping.

b)stopes artificially supported:

*shrinkage stoping.
*cut and filling.

*square-set stope
 SUB LEVEL STOPING
Applications:

• Sub level stoping is normally adopted in the following characteristics:

• 1.Steeply dipping ore – the angle of foot wall should exceed the angle of repose of the broken ore.

• 2.Thick ore body.

• 3. Stable hanging wall and foot wall.

• 4.Strong ore which separates readily from the walls.

• 5.Regular or boundaries.
METHOD OF EXTRACTION:
• Sub levels means a level intermediate between the two main adjacent levels driven during the development
stage.It is confined to the block of ore ad does not extended to the shaft.

• The method involves the driving of sublevels within the preorebody to vertically divide a block to be
stoped. Miners working within the sublevel openings drill a pattern or fan pattern to blast large vertical
slices.

• The ore is produced by drilling and blasting longholes which may range in diameter from 50-200mm with
lengths upto 90mts.for deposit of thickness <20mts, sub level stopes may be formed in transverse direction
i.e, from hanging wall to footwall.

• Vertical pillars are left between stopes on the sub levels,these are called rib pillars.and crown pillar are left
in upper level and sill pillar are left in lower levels.
• ADVANTAGES:
• Dilution may occur but 100% of the ore is usually recovered
from the stope.
• Pillars that are left in place can be removed once adjacent
stopes have been backfilled.
• Stopes may be drilled before any blasting, to allow for larger
and more efficient blasts.
• The early development can be done in ore rather than in
waste.
• Easily to mechanize and can use large equipment.
• High productivity and efficiency, up to 110 tons/employee-
shift, depending on the orebody.
• Repetitive techniques help facilitate training and safety.
• Mid-range mining cost (relative cost 20%).
• Little exposure to hazardous conditions ie: easily ventilated.
• Low Dilution (20%).
• Reasonable to high recovery (75%-90%)
• Disadvantages
• Early production is low due to the lack of
available drawpoints near the slot however production
increases as new drawpoints are reached.
• Initial recovery is usually 35-50%.
• Not a highly selective method.
• Requires extensive early orebody developments with high
capital expenditures.
• Inflexible mining plan.
• Drilling requires precision and should deviate less than 2%
on any hole.
• Support pillars may be left in place when a large ore body
being mined.
• For orebodies with lower dips dilution increases.
• Fumes can leak back into stopes if secondary blasting is
required.
 SHRINKAGE STOPING
• Shrinkage stoping:
shrinkage meant is temporary accumulation of the broken ore in the stope. Working
in which the broken ore is stored is called shrinkage stopes.
• Applications:
• The method can be used in ore bodies with these characteristics:
• Steep or near vertical ore bodies. The dip must exceed the angle of repose.
• The ore body must be firm and relatively competent.
• The hanging wall and foot wall must be stable. Broken ore at best diminishes
dilution.
• The ore body must have relatively regular boundaries.
• The ore must not be affected by storage in the stope.
• Extraction operation:
• Ore is extracted in horizontal slices starting from the bottom of the stope and advancing upwards. Part
of the ore remains in the stope to provide a working platform and in order to support the walls.
• The blasted ore increases its volume by about 70%. Therefore 30-40% of the ore must be drawn
continuously to provide enough space for working. This is called Shrinkage Draw.
• When overhead mining reaches the planed height, drilling and blasting is ceased and the remaining
60-70% of the broken ore is drawn. This is called Final Draw.
• Small ore bodies can be mined as one stope and large ore bodies can be divided into several stopes
with pillars left between them in both horizontal and vertical directions to maintain the stability of the
area.
• In this method, it is most common that the pillars left in place as sills, between the stopes etc, are
recovered after mining the stope
• Advantages : • Disadvantages include:
• It is applicable with less stable wall rocks with • It is a labor-intensive method. It also
less dilution requires skilled labor.
• It is more selective • Working conditions are often difficult and
• More applicable with irregularities of the ore dangerous.
and its boundaries • Production capacity is limited. Drilling
• Lower initial capital required in machinery long holes is impossible, stope dimensions
• Less development are limited and mechanizability is
negligible.
• Most of the broken ore remains in the stope
for a long time.