The Bushveld platinum group metal deposits are two distinct, shallow-dipping stratiform tabular orebodies and strike for many hundreds of kilometres. Mining is extensive, with depths ranging from close-to-surface to 2 000 m. The mining method is a variation of planar open stoping. Pillars are widely used to support the open stopes. Little work has been done in the past to determine pillar strength and pillars have been designed using experience and formulae developed for other hard-rock mines. This has led to oversize pillars with consequential loss of ore or undersize pillars resulting in potential collapses or pillar bursts. This paper describes a back-analysis of pillar failures at Impala Platinum, just north of Rustenburg, and provides insights into pillar behaviour. Strength formulae are presented for Merensky Reef pillars at Impala. These formulae may be used cautiously on other platinum mines with similar geotechnical and geomechanical conditions.
Reference:
Watson PB, Ryder JA, Kataka MO et al. 2008. Merensky pillar strength formulae based on back-analysis of pillar failures at Impala Platinum. The Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Vol.108, pp 449-461
Watson, B., Ryder, J., Kataka, M., Kuijpers, J., & Leteane, F. (2008). Merensky pillar strength formulae based on back-analysis of pillar failures at Impala Platinum. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/3512
Watson, BP, JA Ryder, MO Kataka, JS Kuijpers, and FP Leteane "Merensky pillar strength formulae based on back-analysis of pillar failures at Impala Platinum." (2008) http://hdl.handle.net/10204/3512
Watson B, Ryder J, Kataka M, Kuijpers J, Leteane F. Merensky pillar strength formulae based on back-analysis of pillar failures at Impala Platinum. 2008; http://hdl.handle.net/10204/3512.
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