ABSTRACT
Ground Support in Mining and Underground Construction-Villaescusa & Potvin (eds.) © 2004 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 90 5809 640 8
ABSTRACT: Significantly increased ore extraction is possible in room and pillar mining if ore pillars can be reduced. Pre-stressed timber props were successfully used to provide stope hangingwall support in a shallow dipping portion of the narrow North-Eastern orebody at the Rav 8 nickel mine in southern Western Australia. Extraction ratios exceeding 90% were achieved using the system (compared to an expected ratio of approximately 80% using a conventional pillar configuration). An additional benefit was gained due to a reduction in mining dilution.
