Mine Active Internal Dump Susceptible Zone Identification using MMO Technique

Abstract

In open-cast mines, a dump stability analysis is tedious for engineers. In the past, dump slope disasters have caused a loss of human resources and mining machinery. Sometimes, the machinery is stuck in a debris flow. Therefore, Susceptible Zone Identification (SZI) and its treatment are essential for the mining industry. This study aims to identify multiple failure zones in a large dump using a Multi Model Optimization (MMO) technique. Realistic 3D modelling is essential for accurate stability evaluation. Researchers have used 2D numerical modelling for dump slope stability analysis in many studies. However, the geometry of mine dumps is irregular because of unplanned Overburden (OB) material deposition. If the real 3D geometry of the dump is not considered, the slope stability results may confound researchers. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the stability of the Sonepur Bazari mine dump with multiple failure zones using realistic 3D modelling. The Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) and Finite Difference Method (FDM) were employed for slope stability analysis. This study investigated different critical zones in the entire dump. The advantage of this combined approach is that large internal and external dump failure zones can be quickly identified, and decisions can be made for mitigation.