Rock support in the Kiirunavaara Mine

Authors: Jacobsson, L; Töyrä, J; Woldemedhin, B; Krekula, H Download Paper

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1304_26_Jacobsson

Cite As:
Jacobsson, L, Töyrä, J, Woldemedhin, B & Krekula, H 2013, 'Rock support in the Kiirunavaara Mine', in Y Potvin & B Brady (eds), Ground Support 2013: Proceedings of the Seventh International Symposium on Ground Support in Mining and Underground Construction, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 401-409, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1304_26_Jacobsson



Abstract:
The Kiirunavaara Mine in northern Sweden consists of one 4 km long iron orebody. The orebody is mined using large scale sublevel caving. Since 2008 the Kiirunavaara Mine has been considered a seismically active mine and as a consequence, several measures have been implemented in the mine to manage seismicity. These include: a comprehensive seismic monitoring system, mining sequences which mitigate the risk of larger seismic events, rock support designed for dynamic loads, and construction of a more comprehensive geological model. This paper describes how the rock support has been developed at Loussavaara-Kiirunavaara AB (LKAB) in recent years to deal with the problems arising from mining at greater depth in a seismically active mine. In summary, LKAB has developed rock support for various conditions and locations within the mine; this includes rock support in areas prone to mining induced seismicity. This paper also describes the rock support cycle from blasting through to the completion of installation. Finally, the paper includes a review of rock support engineering from 2008 until 2012 in terms of rockfalls (number and size) related to the amount of rock support used in the mine. The results indicate that the number and size of rockfalls have decreased mainly because of the improved rock support system.

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