Gipronickel Institute Ltd

V. B. Vilchinskiy, Head of Mining Laboratory, e-mail: vbvil@niсkel.spb.ru
L. V. Savchikov, Senior Researcher of Mining Laboratory
A. I. Torgov, Senior Researcher
I. V. Amosov, Junior Researcher

Kola MMC
V. I. Makeev, Chief Project Manager, Mining and Metallurgical Direction

The principal design and process problems related to the transfer from open-cut to underground mining of Zhdanovsky Deposit’ copper-nickel ore have been highlighted. Measures required to be taken at the under-pit reserves mining by the method of sub-level caving and ore’ end discharge (SLCED). It has been found out that SLCED method implementation in full scope requires substantial expansion of the advanced mine preparation work to create adequate extraction front (no less than 3–4 sublevels). Based on the Mine’ operation experience, extraction of relatively poor ore using caving units is impossible without optimising indices of ore extraction from the areas that are directly dependent on the completeness of the broken-off ore removal from the blocks. At high ore value, it would be reasonable to decrease losses at the expense of higher dilution. However, at low ore value dilution rate should be decreased, and losses should be increased.