Undercutless caving at Newcrest: towards the next generation of cave mining
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Authors: Paredes, P; Popa, IL; Kline, PR; Sykes, MJ Open access courtesy of:
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This paper is hosted with the kind permission of the Universidad de Chile, Eighth International Conference & Exhibition on Mass Mining, 2020.
DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2063_07
Cite As:
Paredes, P, Popa, IL, Kline, PR & Sykes, MJ 2020, 'Undercutless caving at Newcrest: towards the next generation of cave mining', in R Castro, F Báez & K Suzuki (eds), MassMin 2020: Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference & Exhibition on Mass Mining, University of Chile, Santiago, pp. 166-181, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2063_07
Abstract:
Mass mining and particularly the cave mining industry is facing technical challenges that include those associated with greater depths, lower grades and demand for increased productivity (Flores 2014). New orebodies and expansion of current mines demand safer, faster, and lower-cost approaches to establishment and operation. The rate at which a cave is established is crucially dependent on the efficiency of the undercut process, which is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to execute in deeper orebodies. For these reasons, the development of alternative and more effective cave establishment methodologies has become critical. In this context, Newcrest has initiated the NextGen Caving programme, which endeavours to develop and implement novel, cost effective techniques for mining the next generation of block caves aiming to unlock low grade massive ore bodies at greater depths. Among the NextGen initiatives is the Undercutless Caving concept or Single Pass Cave Establishment (SPCE). This aims to improve safety, and reduce cave establishment time and cost, by establishing the drawbell and undercut components of a traditional block cave method from a single level and process. If proven to be successful, Single Pass Cave Establishment will not only change how Newcrest evaluates and constructs block cave projects, it will also represent a step change for the caving industry. To engineer, test, validate and implement this concept, Newcrest has embarked on an ambitious project consisting of a design study and two trials. This paper introduces the Undercutless Caving concept alongside the results of the first practical trial at the Telfer Mine in Western Australia. Successful results from a practical trial at Telfer have been achieved, with complete undercut and connectivity gained across the major and minor apex pillars of the planned four drawbell layout, of comparable pillar sizes to that at Cadia East. As an industry first of achieving drawbell and undercut establishment from a single level with no void above and with unprecedented drawbell and pillar dimensions, this milestone represents a significant step forward in cave establishment for the industry.
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