Geotechnical Design for Sublevel Open Stoping

<p>The first comprehensive work on one of the most important underground mining methods worldwide<b> Geotechnical Design for Sublevel Open Stoping</b> presents topics according to the conventional sublevel stoping process used by most mining houses in which a sublevel stoping geometry is chosen for a particular mining method equipment availability and work force experience. Summarizing state-of-the-art practices encountered during his 25+ years of experience at industry-leading underground mines the author:</p><ul> <p> </p> <li>Covers the design and operation of sublevel open stoping including variants such as bench stoping</li> <li>Discusses increases in sublevel spacing due to advances in the drilling of longer and accurate production holes as well as advances in explosive types charges and initiation systems</li> <li>Considers improvements in slot rising through vertical crater retreat inverse drop rise and raise boring</li> <li>Devotes a chapter to rock mass characterization since increases in sublevel spacing have meant that larger unsupported stope walls must stand without collapsing</li> <li>Describes methodologies to design optimum open spans and pillars rock reinforcement of development access and stope walls and fill masses to support the resulting stope voids</li> <li>Reviews the sequencing of stoping blocks to minimize <i>in situ</i> stress concentrations</li> <li>Examines dilution control action plans and techniques to back-analyze and optimize stope wall performance</li> </ul><p>Featuring numerous case studies from the world-renowned Mount Isa Mines and examples from underground mines in Western Australia <b>Geotechnical Design for Sublevel Open Stoping </b>is both a practical reference for industry and a specialized textbook for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate mining studies.</p>