The prospects of blastless ore breaking with hydraulic hammers when mining North Uralian Bauxite Mine deposits by underground method

Abstract

Research objective is to increase mining productivity at the North Uralian Bauxite Basin deposits by switching to blastless mining technology with ore breaking with hydraulic hammers. Methods of research include the analysis of current process flow schemes for the North Uralian bauxite basin deposits development, a comparative analysis of the stoping schedules in process flow schemes with drilling and blasting ore breaking and blastless breaking of the mine block reserves, determining the productivity of blastless ore breaking with hydraulic hammers, and studying the dependence between the process flow scheme efficiency and the depth of mining. Results. Stoping cyclograms in process flow schemes with ore drilling and blasting and mechanical breaking were compared for the conditions of the North Uralian Bauxite Mine (SUBR) deposits development. The dependence between the process flow schemes efficiency and the depth of mining has been established. Based on the comparative analysis results, it was determined that the process flow scheme for blastless mining at SUBR deposits is the most competitive in terms of stoping productivity and safety. The developed process flow scheme with ore breaking with hydraulic hammers provides a minimum drop in process flow scheme efficiency with an increase in the depth of mining and an increase in productivity by 1.5–2 times due to the implementation of a cyclic-flow technology for stoping. Conclusions and scope of the results. The developed process flow scheme for blastless mining at SUBR deposits with ore breaking with hydraulic hammers makes it possible to increase the productivity of stoping by 1.5–2 times without reducing the level of safety. The research results can be used to justify the switch to a blastless mining in complicated mining and geological conditions, in conditions of increased rock-bump hazard, and when stoping ground advances to deep horizons.