Ground Rock Stress Distribution
In previous topics, we’ve discussed strengths of materials because failure typically occurs when stresses exceed the strengths, it is important to know the stress distribution in a ground close to an opening, for example. This will be the topic of this module, but first, let’s consider vertical stress. To some extent, this represents at a […]
Rock Mass Classification – Rock Mass System
For most rock engineering projects, it is required to characterise not only the intact rock, but also the rock mass as a whole, and this in terms of strength and deformability. Indeed we said, in a previous topic, that the presence of discontinuities tend to confer to the rock mass lower strengths and higher deformability. […]
Rock Discontinuities Characterisation
We have seen in the previous topics that discontinuities are critical for the behavior of a rock mass. Hence, for most engineering projects, it’s important to detect the presence of discontinuities and characterise the discontinuities. When it comes to the field, what we actually see of the discontinuities, most of the time, we see only […]
Rock Joint Strength – Shear Test
In this topic, we will present two important aspects of discontinuities, namely the roughness and shear strength. These two properties are critical when it comes to the stability of a rock mass in which these discontinuities are present and like for the intact rock, the mechanics of a rock joint is that of a contact […]
Rock Strength Measurement
In this topic, we’ll present you some of the laboratory tests that can be performed to infer rock materials strength. It is important for you to know what type of tests can be done and what types of information we can gather from them.The simplest test to perform is the unconfined compression tests that will […]
Rock Compression
In topic one, we introduced stress and strain. These 2 variables are related because application of a stress results in a strain. In this topic, we will see how a specimen of intact rock responds when it is subjected to a simple compression. So, if we consider specimens, such as this one with flat ends, […]
Mine Closure
Mining is a temporary land use, so having found, evaluated, designed, planned and operated that mine in a safe environmentally responsible way. It remains or us to tidy up, and then to hand the land over to some future productive use. There is a societal expectation that post mining the land will be returned to […]
Bulk Material Handling – Conveying & Silos
After beneficiation we now need to focus on the storage handling, and transport of the mined product which can be ore or coal to get it to the customer. As the products of mining are mostly grain able materials that are handled by disciplined known as bulk materials handling, which is the specialty of the […]
Coal Beneficiation Technology
So far in this module we’ve looked at how coal or minerals are found and how they are mined. In this topic we will look at the next step in the process that is upgrading the mining material to increase the concentration of the value of the component, before it is then transported to the […]
Environmental Impact Assessment
Mining operates under a social license, but its benefits should outweigh its negative impacts. Responsible mine operators accept this and they design their operations to be socially responsible. However to protect the environment and society against the negative impacts of mining regulatory frameworks are put in place to guide the assessment of mining proposals before […]