Rock Mass Response to Mining Activities

Mining activities may result in rock mass deterioration and instability that may lead to failure both in underground and open pit mines. Such deterioration represents a safety risk and may result in financial losses. Rock mass response may lead to ground subsidence, fall of ground/caving, inundation, pillar collapse, seismic activities and slope an

Autorentext

Dr Tadeusz Szwedzicki is an internationally recognised expert in geomechanics of underground mining methods. He has over 40 years of mining experience working in mining production, research and development, and consulting. His experience has been gained working for some of the world's largest mining companies like PT Freeport (Indonesia), ZCCM (Zambia), Anglo American Corp (Republic of South Africa), and WMC and BHP Billiton (Australia). He had academic positions at Western Australian School of Mines, and University of Zimbabwe. His experience also includes government positions at the Northern Territory department of Mines and Energy where he was appointed the Government Mining Engineer and the Government of Papua New Guinea as Mineral Resources Advisor. He is a recipient of the Silver Medal awarded by the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, London, and a recipient of Fulbright scholarship, USA. He has authored over 70 papers including in the International Journal of Rock Mechanics, Transactions of the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and proceedings of international conferences. He is an independent consultant specializing in geomechanics of mining methods.

Inhalt

Introduction. Factors affecting rock mass response to mining. Case studies of rock mass response to underground mining. Case studies of rock mass response to surface mining. Case studies of inundations. Effect of discontinuities on the initiation of failure process. Behaviour of rock mass prior to failure. Rock mass behaviour during failure. Post-failure rock mass behaviour. Modes of failure of rock and rock mass. Behaviour of fragmented ore. Mitigation of rock mass response through geotechnical quality assurance.