Successful development and operation of underground mines depend on the selection of appropriate mining methods and the design and implementation of underground support systems suited to the site’s rock conditions and excavation geometries. Such systems seek not only to mitigate safety hazards, but also to maximize ore extraction and reduce wastage throughout the mine’s life cycle.
Our consultants focus on interpreting geotechnical data in an underground mining context. We will characterize your rock mass and evaluate its orebody geometries then determine appropriate mining methods and geotechnical design criteria. Based on these criteria, we will define excavation spans, stope sizes, infrastructure setback distances, ground support, and ground control adoption procedures that are both practical and technically sound.
Combining analytical and empirical analysis with sound operational experience enables us to develop design parameters that are customized to each site’s geotechnical conditions and mining strategy and solutions that are innovative as well as effective.
Our geotechnical engineers are also adept in advanced numerical and geotechnical domain modelling techniques.
Services
- Geotechnical field investigation, logging, mapping, and database analysis
- Structural geology interpretation and analysis
- Rock mass characterisation and classification and domain modelling
- Mining method selection, mine layout evaluation, and sequencing optimization
- Dilution, fragmentation, and caving analysis
- Ground control planning, management, and monitoring
- Underground stability analysis, 2D and 3D modelling, and empirical design
- Monitoring system design, implementation, training, and management
- Backfill paste support design and integration
Case study: Learn how we used rock mechanics to address the challenges of designing connected open pit and underground gold mines in Columbia:
