Analysis of the working environment conditions in the function of water drainage into massive at the quarry Veliki Krivelj

Abstract

The conditions of the open pit drainage are usually very complex and, as a rule, insufficiently researched. When it comes to the exploitation of technical stone, especially limestone, the working environment is characterized by the crack porosity, and the present system of cracks and faults, apart from being in a complex relationship with each other, is characterized by greater or lesser water permeability as a function of the size of crack openings, type of material with which they are filled and degree of filling. As a result of exploitation works, the seismic impact that occurs as a result of blasting at the open pit, change in stress conditions due to the excavation and filling of the openings of existing cracks by the formation of transport roads and working plateaus at the open pit itself and during exploitation, the working environment conditions are changed, affecting the selection and functioning of drainage system of the open pit. Due to a number of affecting factors and their changes during exploitation, the selection and achievement of high efficiency of the open pit drainage system is a complex task. When it comes to testing the possibility of applying the water drainage from the open pit into surrounding rock massif, in order to achieve the expected high efficiency and safety of the drainage system, the working environment characteristics must be well known. This paper presents an analysis of application the conditions of the Kriveljski Kamen open pit drainage system by mine water drainage into massif [1]. This type of system was analyzed as a part of development the limestone exploitation project at this open pit with the basic idea of creating a reliable and economical system for protecting the open pit from water in the conditions of extremely high rainfall.