Metodología de Construcción de Modelos DFN para Determinación de Fragmentación In Situ del Yacimiento Río Blanco

Abstract

One of the key factors in a block caving underground mine is the in situ fragmentation size of the rock to be mined. The block size of the rock mass shall determine the optimum size for the production level. Aditionally, a proper design well-adjusted to the block size determines the cavibility and the probability of hang-ups in the production level. In order to estimate internal geometry in the rockmass, Codelco Andina Division, uses the methodology of Discrete Fractures Network (DFNs), which based on hard data obtained from the field, simulates the rockmass blocks, providing its geometrical properties, such as length, volume and granulometric curve. The key parameters for building up these models are the distribution of structural lenghts; the orientations of the structures or discontinuities in the rockmass and the fractures frequency along each axis. This article describes the methodology used in Andina Division for capturing the field data, for building the model, and the comparison of fracture density mapped versus modelled for different areas of the mine. Finally, the data obtained is validated using the block size distribution measured in the draw points of the mine