GIDEK, JSC, Moscow, Russia:

B. V. Borevsky, CEO, Professor, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences
V. Yu. Abramov, Chief Specialist, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences

College of Mining, NUST MISIS, Moscow, Russia:

D. M. Kazikaev, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences
I. N. Savich, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Savich.IN@misis.ru

Selection of a geotechnology for underground mining in Mir Mine, in challenging hydrogeological conditions has been the point under hot discussion for a few decades. An associate issue is protection of underground excavations from flooding. The latter problem is critical at interfaces of kimberlite and freely soluble host rock salt. After termination of surface mining operations, out of two variants of underground mining systems with cemented backfill or with bulk caving, the scenario with backfilling and with dry conservation of the open pit was selected. Dry conservation means fill of dolerite layer on the pit bottom, placement of water-proof film on this layer and outlet of all inflows via a drainage day drift and vertical boreholes. No other activities on protection of the mine from halite-undersaturated brine inflows from the pit were provided by the adopted design solutions. In the chosen scenario, above the impermeable film, a water body generated had varied volume subject to the ratio of water inflows in the pit and flow rate of discharge boreholes. Water inflows in the mine resulted in uncontrollable growth of salt karst at the kimberlite–rock salt interface, and in the subsequent degradation of the interface due dissolution of salt in the contact zone and owing to filling of fractures with dissolved salt inside the ore body. Based on the implemented research, the authors assess prospects for the resumption of operations in the mine by stoping with caving. Such technology seems to be most advisable in the given hydrogeological conditions. In this case, it is required to start with catchment of ground water inflows in the pit by means of arrangement of internal and external drainage loops.

1. Nikolaev M. V., Grigorieva E. E., Gulyaev P. V. Assessment of risks influencing innovation activity of industrial enterprises (on example of diamond-brilliant complex). Eurasian Mining. 2016. No. 2. pp. 6–10. DOI: 10.17580/em.2016.02.02
2. Mir Mine : Detailed design of mine suspension. Yakutniproalmaz, 2018.
3. Yun Zheng, Congxin Chen, Tingting Liu, Kaizong Xia, Xiumin Liu. Stability analysis of rock slopes against sliding or flexural-toppling failure. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment. 2018. No. 4. DOI: 10.1007/s10064-017-1062-z
4. Zyryanov I. V., Akishev A. N., Bokiy I. B., Bondarenko I. F. Innovations in diamond mine planning in a permafrost zone. Gornaya promyshlennost. 2018. No. 5. pp. 66–69.
5. Akishev A. N., Bokiy I. B., Zyryanov I. V. On the development of geotechnology for open-cast mining of diamond deposits. Mining technology improvement and personnel training toward the the technosphere safety in the north-east of Russia : Proceedings of All-Russian Conference with International Participation on the Occasion of Professor E. N. Chemezov’s 80^th Anniversary. Yakutsk, 2018. pp. 267–274.
6. Experience and practical measures on recovery of a mine after an accident : All-Russian Conference Proceedings. Moscow : MGTU im. N. E. Baumana, 2018. 135 p.
7. Batali L., Andreea C. Slope Stability Analysis Using the Unsaturated Stress Analysis. Case Study. Procedia Engineering. 2016. Vol. 143. pp. 284–291.
8. Engineering solutions on protection of underground excavations from flooding in Mir Mine : Production procedures. Moscow : GIDEK, 2001.
9. Savich I., Mustafin V., Romanov V., Sukhov D. Development of Design and Technological Parameters of Ore Extraction for Underground Mining. III International Innovative Mining Symposium. 2018. E3S Web of Conferences. 2018. Vol. 41. 01032. DOI: 10.1051/e3sconf/20184101032
10. Savich I. N., Mustafin V. I. Perspectives of use and rationale design solutions of block (level) and sublevel face draw. GIAB. 2015. Special issue 1. Proceedings of international scientific symposium Miner’s Week-2015. pp. 419–429.
11. Savich I. N., Mustafin V. I., Romanov V. I., Sukhov D. I., Nesterov Yu. I. Mining systems with bulk caving in underground ore production: Problems and solutions. Advances in Surface Mining for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development : Proceedings of the International Workshop. Hanoi : Publishing House for Science and Technology, 2015. pp. 236–242.
12. Mustafin V., Biessikirski A., Terpak D., Romanov V., Sukhov D. Zastosowanie analizy fotogrametrycznej oraz wskaźnika Hazena do oceny fragmentacji urobku w rosyjskich kopalniach rud. Inżynieria Mineralna. 2017. Vol. 18, No. 2. pp. 293–301.
13. Aksyutin O. E., Kazaryan V. A., Ishkov A. G., Khloptsov V. G., Teplov M. K. et al. Construction and exploitation of reservoirs in permafrost sedimentary rocks. Moscow–Izhevsk : Infra-Inzheneriya, 2013. 432 p.
14. Mironenko V. A., Rumynin V. G. Problems of hydro-geoecology. 2^nd ed. Moscow : Izdatelstvo MGGU, 2002. Vol. 3. Applied research. Book 1. 312 p.
15. Mironenko V. A., Norvatov Yu. A., Serdyukov L. I., Bokiy L. L., Strelskiy F. P. et al. Hydrogeological research in mining. Moscow : Nedra, 1976. 352 p.