NorNickel’s Polar Division, Norilsk, Russia:

M. P. Sergunin, Head of Department for Geotechnical Supervision of Mining at the Center for Geodynamic Safety, SerguninMP@nornik.ru
T. P. Darbinyan, Director of Mining Practice Department
T. S. Mushtekenov, Deputy Director of Mineral Resources and Reserves
V. V. Balandin, Director of Oktyabrsky Mine

Mineral mining in rockburst-hazardous conditions should involve various precautions in compliance with federal regulations and standards. One of the main methods to prevent rock bursts is destressing drilling. In this method, a yielding zone is artificially created. The strength and deformation characteristics in this zone differ from the same characteristics of enclosing rock mass, and redistribution of stresses takes place as a result. Efficiency of destressing drilling is estimated in terms of ore body S-2 in Komsomolsky Mine. The efficiency criterion is selected to be the safety factor of rock mass with and without destressing drilling. Low efficiency of destressing drilling means that this method is readily replaceable by the other techniques of lesser labor input, for example, by reduction in the rate of mining, or by seasoning of underground excavations for some time required for redistribution of stresses to take place. Based on the theoretical research and the conclusions drawn at NorNickel’s Polar Division, the full-scale tests are scheduled for the implementation in order to gradually abandon destessing drilling in rockburst-hazardous Talnakh and Oktyabrsky ore fields.
The authors appreciate participation of V. P. Marysyuk from NorNickel’s Polar Division in this study.

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