Rock stresses, its controls and associated ground behaviour at the Rosebery mine, Tasmania

Authors: Lee, MF; de Vries, R; Moller, CF Download Paper Open access courtesy of:

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1704_62_Moller

Cite As:
Lee, MF, de Vries, R & Moller, CF 2017, 'Rock stresses, its controls and associated ground behaviour at the Rosebery mine, Tasmania', in J Wesseloo (ed.), Deep Mining 2017: Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Deep and High Stress Mining, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 901-916, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1704_62_Moller



Abstract:
The Rosebery mine, on the west coast of Tasmania, is currently one of Australia’s deepest mines. The orebodies dip moderately (45°) and mining is currently about 1,800 m below Mount Black. As might be expected, ground conditions are challenging regarding rock stresses versus the strength of the rock mass. Over 22 years, from 1983 to 2015, in situ rock stress measurements have been made at 16 sites at varying depths from about 500 to 1,800 m below surface. This data is documented and summarised, with depth and possible geologic and structural controls, to provide an understanding of what locally controls Rosebery’s rock stresses. This understanding has been used to better appreciate some aspects of the mine’s challenging ground conditions.

Keywords: rock stress measurement, rock stresses, structures, ground behaviour, ground support

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