NorNickel’s Polar Division, Norilsk, Russia

V. P. Marysyuk, Chief Geotechnical Engineer—Director, Center for Geodynamic Safety, Candidate of Engineering Sciences
S. Yu. Shilenko, Deputy Director of Production Safety and Labor Protection

Gipronickel Institute, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

A. V. Trofimov, Head of Geotechnique Laboratory, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, trofimovav@nornik.ru
A. D. Kulagin, Researcher, Geotechnique Laboratory

Deep-level mines in the Norilsk industrial area, including Oktyabrsky Mine, use various systems of mining. In view of substantial production output of ore (round 5 Mt/yr), it is required to ensure technological capability of uninterrupted ore drawing for the subsequent processing and conversion. In this regard, it is critical to maintain efficient operation of ore passes. The most frequent causes and events of damage of ore pass support and disintegration of enclosing rock mass are discussed. A variant of ore pass support is proposed, which meets the criteria of economy and applicability of the advanced mine support and rock reinforcement technologies in NorNickel’s mines. Oktyabrsky Mine introduces a support technology for permanent ore passes, with a complex ground support and reinforcement system: friction rock stabilizers 3 m long with reinforcement mixture injection; single steel mesh 100×100 mm; nonmetallic fiber-reinforced shotcrete 150 mm thick; urea silicate-based resin injection using packers. Application of this technology can make it possible to abandon segmental lining which is very expensive and ineffective in elimination of arching by blasting. Heading operations have already been started, and it is expected to evaluate shortly the economic effect and real-life serviceability of the new support type in mines in the Norilsk industrial area.

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