ABSTRACT
Block/panel caving is an underground bulk mining method that utilizes gravitational force for mining massive, steeply dipping and deep-seated ore deposits at a lower operating cost. Since caving is a dynamic process, the design of an effective ventilation system is a challenging task and therefore, estimation of airflow resistance offered by the broken rock inside the cave is critical. The complex and dynamic nature of caving also makes it difficult to predict the airflow resistance by using traditional approaches. This study investigates the effect of changes in the bulk porosity of the broken rock on the cave airflow resistance using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach. The results show an inverse relationship between the cave airflow resistance and the bulk cave porosity.
