75 / 2021-09-17 14:35:41

Next generation carbon neutral pilots for smart intelligent mining systems – NEXGEN-SIMS

seismic events,rockburst hazard,destress blasting,mine monitoring

Scaling-up of new generation mining technologies and demonstrating their potential at several large scale mining pilots, which will provide the mining industry with sustainable, efficient and carbon neutral production – these are the main objectives of a new European Union-funded collaboration project called NEXGEN-SIMS. A key aspect of the project is to develop autonomous mining processes based on battery-electric mobile mining equipment and application of 5G technology for optimal connectivity, positioning and data transmission. The project is also focusing on enhancing safety of underground workings based on advanced autonomous mine inspection technology, such as robots or drones, as well as rockburst hazard monitoring system.

Within the project, a novel method of continuous rock stress relief monitoring system will be developed and implemented. This system will be demonstrated in selected mining panel on the Lubin mine belonging to KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. It will be based on the data collected from the network of instrumented rock bolts. Continuous data acquisition will provide valuable information for assessing geomechanical hazard in the analyzed area.

The developed measuring system will allow for the recording of dynamic changes in axial and shear stresses, deformations and bending moments along rock bolts’ rods. Rock bolts will be installed within the roof and sidewalls stratum of development drifts surrounding selected mining panel. Deformation and stress changes will be recorded continuously. Moreover, after each blasting within considered panel, changes in above parameters will be used to the continuous real-time assessment of seismic effect generated by blasting in terms of rockburst and roof falls prevention efficiency. Information collected from each device will be automatically sent to a real-time data integration system. Combination of obtained data will be base for stress mapping within considered mining panel. In case of the significant rise in P-wave velocity between measurement points, preventive actions can be applied, i.e. in the form of stress relief blasting.

The innovative aspect of this solution is the periodic mapping of local changes of seismic wave velocity, deformations in the workings vicinity and stress measurements within the roof and sidewalls stratum, what may be used for the assessment of the efficiency of destress blasting. Gathered data will provide the basis for modification of preventive methods towards the improvement of their effectiveness. General assumptions of the project and the overall concept of a novel method of rockburst hazard monitoring system with an assessment of destress blasting efficiency are presented here.