IMPROVEMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM WITH UNDERGROUND DRIFTS USED AT THE KAPAN MINE

Abstract

Currently, Kapan Mining and Processing Combine (MPC), which operates the Shahumyan gold-polymetallic deposit, uses a development system for its underground mine that represents a sub-level open stoping in a descending order, with subsequent backfill.

A distinctive feature of this particular development system is: access to the orebody is carried out through the main spiral decline and «sub-level crosscuts», the distance between those in height is about 13m, which in the generally accepted sense, corresponds to the height of the sub-level; the haulage and transportation is carried out along “sub-level drifts” and “sub-level crosscuts” and, in fact, the space between adjacent levels is a level with a very low height; mine workings are carried out not after developing the decline, but after opening each sub-level in a descending order.

In order to increase the economic efficiency of mining, the idea of improving the development system with sub-level open stoping in a descending order, with subsequent backfill is very urgent. The main task is to identify the “bottlenecks” - the shortcomings that have the greatest impact. In this regard, the "bottlenecks" represent low values of qualitative and quantitative indicators of ore extraction from the mine. For this purpose, it is proposed to carry out mining along sub-levels in an ascending order. The result: the decreased overall rock mass outcropping will result in increasing the safety of mining operations; the decreased secondary dilution will result in increasing the gold equivalent grade; wall rock caving risk will be significantly reduced; ore losses (like pillars) and ground support expenditures will be reduced due to backfilling.