ABSTRACT
The design and selection of a mining method requires a systematic approach, with the dip, size, and shape of an orebody; the strengths of the ore and the host rock mass; as well as economics being some of the fundamental parameters influencing the planning and design process (Hamrin, 1982; Brady and Brown, 2004). Distinctions can be made between orebodies having significant width, height, and length and those that are small in one dimension and are either steeply or shallowly dipping. For example, orebodies with significant vertical dimensions can be accessed through drifts developed at successive depths. Gravity is used to advantage in ore-breaking and ore-handling operations, as the broken material can be directed to the conveniently located draw (collection) points. When an orebody is thin, requiring full entry for personnel and equipment, a critical consideration, as the mining face is advanced, is protection from rock falls (Figure 1.1). In most cases, when an orebody is large in all dimensions, access is via small drifts that are located outside the main production zones. The selected mining method will exclude other options on a safety, productivity, recovery, and dilution control basis. Brady and Brown (2004) have discussed the general relation between the geotechnical properties of an orebody, the host rock mass, and the most appropriate mining method.
