Institute of Mining, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, Russia:

O. V. Zoteev, Principal Researcher, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences

Magnitogorsk State Technical University, Magnitogorsk, Russia:
V. N. Kalmykov, Head of a Department, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences
A. A. Gogotin, Assistant Professor, Candidate of Engineering Sciences

 
Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, Moscow, Russia:
A. N. Prodanov, Head of Mineral Dressing Department

The authors appreciate participation of A. A. Golomolzin and V. N. Polkin (Gaisky MPIW), A. A. Zubkov and I. A. Pytalev (Magnitogorsk State Technical University), and A. P. Tyulkin (UMMC).

The article addresses the topical issues of the contemporary stage performance of mines, in particular, mining out of open pits up to the ultimate limits and transition to underground deeplevel mining; accumulation of huge amount of waste (tailings) and their disposal; undermining and deformation of ground surface and pitwalls by underground excavations; contamination of natural hydrosphere by seepage flows; reclamation of disturbed lands, etc. In terms of the Ural’s copper mining companies (Gaisky, Uchaly and Vysokogorsky Mining and Processing Integrated Works), the authors describe research, approaches, procedures and designs on filling mined-out areas of open pits with ore processing waste; bypass and pumping out of seepage water; creation of antiseepage screens as mined-out areas are filled with waste; protection of uranium mines from flooding and invasion of tailings placed in mined-out pits. The presented research, approaches, procedures and designs developed for the conditions of open and underground copper mines in the Urals are of the current and future concern as many large open pit mines approach their ultimate limits or are already mined-out and undergo transition to combination open/underground or deep-level mining. The proposed methods and technologies allow an integrated solution to geomechanical, ecological and mine-technical problems connected with efficient industrial and ecological safety of ore mining and processing, including disposal of production waste and reclamation of disturbed lands.

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