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Massmin 2004 269

1 INTRODUCTION
The Deep Ore Zone (DOZ) is the underground block cave
mine at Freeport Indonesia. It is located about 300 meters
below the last active mine IOZ (Intermediate Ore Zone) and
about 1,200 meters below surface. The IOZ mine, started
production in 1983 and finished production by 2001. IOZ
operation experienced complex problems such as
considerable displacements leading to the collapse of the
production drifts. Several lessons were learned in the
operation of IOZ , probably one of the most important ones
is related to geomechanic instrumentation and its usage to
manage caving activity. The intensive instrumentation
program consisted of convergence monitoring system,
multipoint borehole extensometer, and three different types
of relative stress monitoring devices. This paper
concentrates the discussion about the convergence
monitoring system.
In general, monitoring is carried out for two main reasons
[1]:
Ensure safety during construction and operation by
assessing on ground deformation, ground water pressure,
load in support elements.
Assess abutment stress zones at the undercut level and
production level ensuring construction is carried on
outside the abutment stress zones Calibrate initial
assumptions regarding rock mass properties used in
planning and design of the DOZ mine
2. CONVERGENCE MONITORING
Freeport started implementing intensive ground
monitoring by the middle of 90s following large
displacements occurred at IOZ production drifts.
Convergence Monitoring was chosen because of its
simplicity, repeatability, and easy operation.
The main purpose of convergence monitoring at the DOZ
Mine was to ensure safety during production, and provide
an early warning on the event of excessive movement at the
undercut and production level. Another benefit related to
the convergence monitoring system is to provide
information to assess the status of the induced stresses
and rock behavior during undercutting and production
stage, providing proper information to mine planning and the
mine operation section to maintain ground stability. Tape
Extensometer is used for a convergence measuring system
developed by Kovari et al (1974). The displacement gauge
has a least count of 0.01 mm and a range of 100 mm. The
overall accuracy of the convergence measurement is 0.02
mm. Three pins are installed in the wall at each station
using 1.0m threadbar and grouting cement, as shown in
Figure 1.
Measurements are taken every week for each station
and almost everyday in areas that may have reported
high displacements until the station stopped showing
continuous movement then the rate is gradually
decreased.
Santiago Chile, 22-25 August 2004
Abstract
Freeport Indonesias Deep Ore Zone (DOZ) mine is located in the East Ertsberg Skarn System deposit. DOZ uses
mechanized advanced panel caving method to produce 38,000 tpd with a grade of 0.60% copper equivalent. Currently
the mine operates 15 production drifts which run across the economic layout. It is planned that the number of production
panels will increase up to 27 by the end of the West extension, reaching productions of 50,000 tpd. One of the main
concepts learned from the passed experiences at IOZ and GBT mines was that block cave needs to be fairly
instrumented in order to assess rock mass behavior due to mining activities. One of the instrumentation used at DOZ
is the convergence monitoring system which consists of measuring the deformation of the production tunnels and
undercut tunnels. The convergence system is considered fundamental to understand the rock mass behavior as a
response of mining activities such as undercutting and production stage, providing information to mine planning and
mine operation sections to maintain ground stability. The average spacing between convergence stations on the
undercut level is between 5.0 10m apart and on the extraction level is between 15 to 18 m depending on draw point
spacing. The results of convergence monitoring have been used as guideline for the undercutting and mucking
strategies to manage induced stress. This paper describes the usage of convergence monitoring in understanding rock
mass behavior induced by mining activities and its application in DOZ mine.
Application of convergence monitoring
to manage induced stress by mining
activities at PT Freeport Indonesia
deep ore zone mine
Indra Febrian, Chief Engineer of Geotechnical Engineering,
Widyo Yudanto, Engineer of Geotechnical Engineering, PT Freeport Indonesia, Tembagapura, Indonesia
Enrique Rubio, Consultant Mining Engineer, Gemcom Software International, Vancouver, Canada
270 Massmin 2004
o The main areas in which monitoring is performed regularly
are as follows:
1. Undercut level: Convergence Monitoring stations are 5.0
- 10m apart.
2. Extraction level: Convergence Monitoring station are
located every two draw points.
The main purpose of the stations located on the
undercut level stations is to register the deformation of
the undercut drifts occurred due to the abutment stress
zones produced by the mining method. The deformation
data is analyzed providing the extension and magnitude
of the induced stress zones. Ones the abutment stress
zone is identified guidelines can be design for safety and
blasting design.
The stations located on the production level register the
deformation of the drifts due to static and dynamic loads
transferred throughout the broken muck pile to the
production level. The origin of these loads has been fully
studied however it is widely agreed that these loads are the
result of different draw patterns,
Figure 1 Convergence Installation at DOZ
3. DATA VISUALIZATION
For analysis and visualization, the deformation from
convergence monitoring is converted into velocity (mm/day).
The velocity of each station is then plotted on a
displacement velocity contour map using Surfer program.
The contour map gives easy-to-read data presentation and
valuable information to the mine operation. Below are
historical examples of the usage of convergence monitoring
data in DOZ mine.
High stress location at the perimeter of undercut
boundary. As shown in Figure 2, there are four
contour peaks (no.1 to no.4) of high displacement
velocity located at the undercut boundary (grey line).
This fact proves the theoretical assumption that the
concentration of stress will be the most at the
undercut boundary due to the abutment stress.
Moreover, from the convergence readings and the
damage observation in the field, it has been found
that the velocity of 0.5 mm/day being a cutoff value of
need attention displacement. In this case, when the
peak shows a 0.5 mm/day or above, the caving
operation will be warned to move the cave face
immediately with the blasting progress by geotech
recommendations.
Fig.2. Historical Case Convergence Monitoring
Stress distribution due to draw pattern. In Figure 3 peak
no. 4 shows an abnormal displacement in the active
production area. Normally, there should not be much
movement on the production area since the area is within
the stress shadow. However high displacements have
been observed due to differential draw and its effect on
the overlying broken muck pile. It is believe that when a
draw point is not continuously drawn the broken muck pile
begins to compact and transfers stresses to the major and
minor apex pillars. Using the contour map, the engineer
recognizes the anomaly and makes a plan to approach
the problem modifying the draw pattern on the daily draw
order.
Fig.3. Historical Case Convergence Monitoring
4. BLASTING ACTIVITIES
As undercutting advances, the stress will be transferred and
distributed around the perimeter of the undercutting area. The
time of area influenced by the abutment stress is important for
planning and scheduling purpose. The area of the abutment
zone has been estimated to be 20 to 30 meters from cave front,
based on the convergence measurements.
In Figure 4, the convergence stations show decreasing of
horizontal velocity due to continuous undercut blasting and
Santiago Chile, 22-25 August 2004
Massmin 2004 271
increasing of horizontal velocity due to suspension of
blasting. It has been found that horizontal displacement
increases if the cave front is not blasted for more than one
week.
Fig 4. Decreasing of horizontal velocity due to progressive
blasting
Based on this fact, it is concluded that the magnitude and
shape of the abutment stress zone is influenced by blasting
activities. Therefore a few guidelines have been designed
in order to avoid high stresses on the undercut level that
could eventually induce damage and collapse of the
undercut level. Examples of these guidelines are shown as
follows:
5. DISPLACEMENT VERSUS DRAW
RATE DUE TO MUCKING PLAN
From previous mine experience, it has been observed
that there is a relationship between displacement rate of
production drifts and draw rate.
The previous observations have been confirmed at DOZ and
it is shown in the data collected in the past 1 year, Figure 5, that
there is an inverse relationship between draw rate and
convergence or displacement. Afew conclusions can be drawn
studding the behavior of the displacement versus different draw
patterns, the following points summarize the observations
As the mucking rate increases, the displacement
decreases
At a consistent mucking rate a consistent convergence is
observed
Differential draw induces, high convergence
Fig.5. Mucking effect on Convergence Rate
Based on the above points can be concluded that there
are stresses acting on the production drifts induced by the
draw patterns. Therefore it would be worthwhile to find
relationships that better explain this phenomenon and
eventually could be embedded in a production planning
system to measure the impact of stresses given different
production strategies.
6. CONCLUSIONS
The results of Convergence monitoring are used as
guidelines to manage the mining induced stress.
Geotechnical Recommendation are given as soon as any
one of condition are met:
The convergence rate is in the range of 0.5 mm/day
1.00mm/day
Cumulative displacement of convergence is more than
30mm.
Santiago Chile, 22-25 August 2004
Convergence (mm/day) Blasting
0.5-1.0 1 ring blasted
> 1.0 More than 1 ring blasted
272 Massmin 2004
Even though the system is simple, the data produced is
very useful. The application of convergence is not limited to
what is presented in this paper and ongoing investigation is
required, providing further challenges to the underground
geotechnical engineer. This simple device has proven to be
useful to ensure safety during development and operation,
and to check the validity of the assumptions relating to rock
behavior in the block caving mining method.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author would like to thank the management of PT.
Freeport Indonesia for permission to publish this paper. The
contribution made by underground personnel involved in
block caving mining at DOZ mine, especially Szwedzicki,
Tadeusz and M. Stawski, to this paper are gratefully
acknowledged.
REFERENCES
Brady, B.H.G. and Brown, E.T. 1993. Monitoring rock
mass performance. In Rock Mechanics for Underground
Mining. 2nd ed, 491-496.
Butcher, R.J. 2000. Block Cave Undercutting Aims,
Strategies, Methods, and Management. In Proceedings of
Mass Min 2000 Conference, Brisbane, 29 Oct-2 Nov
2000, 406-410.
Butcher, R.J. 2000. The Role of Mass Concrete in Soft
Rock Block Cave Mines. In Proceedings of Mass Min
2000 Conference, Brisbane, 29 Oct-2 Nov 2000, 423.
Laubscher, D. H. 1994. Cave mining: state of the art, J.
Sth Afr Inst Min Met. 94:279-293.
Santiago Chile, 22-25 August 2004

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