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Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic

CRITERIOS DE DISEO 1
CRITERIOS DE
DISEO
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
Julio 2006
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 2
Geometra de los
Taludes en Minas a
Rajo Abierto
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 3
GEOMETRIA DE LOS TALUDES DE UNA MINA A RAJO ABIERTO

o
h
o
h
r
r
b

h
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 4

r
h
s
q
b
p
= inclinacin de la cara del banco
= inclinacin media de la cara del banco doble
= ngulo interrampa (de pata a pata)
= altura del banco simple
= salto por perforacin (igual a 0 en el caso de bancos simples)
= quebradura
= ancho de berma (nominal)
= distancia horizontal pata a pata
Geometra del Sistema Banco-Berma
Geometra del Sistema Banco-Berma
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 5
b
h
q
p

r
Geometra Banco-Berma
(bancos simples)
Geometra del Sistema Banco-Berma
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 6
Geometra Banco-Berma
(bancos dobles)
2h
q
p

r
b
s

e
Geometra del Sistema Banco-Berma
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 7

h
q
tan
=
Banco Simple:
q b p + =

+
=
q b
h
tan a
r

Banco Doble:

=
tan s 2h
tan 2h
atan
e


h 2
q
e
tan
=
q b p + =

+
=
q b
h
tan a
r

Relaciones Geomtricas
Geometra del Sistema Banco-Berma
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 8
Consideraciones
Generales
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 9
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 10
Brown (2004)
Evolucin de la profundidad en minas a rajo abierto
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 2040
YEAR
D
E
P
T
H

(
m
)
Chuquicamata
Palabora
Escondida
Collahuasi
Grasberg
Bingham
Questa
Koffiefontein Premier
Stobie
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c
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m
o
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n

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F
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t
y

p
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c
t
Kidd Creek
Atalaya
Kiruna
Mount Isa
Pyhasalmi
Craigmont
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 11
The size of the mining production equipment has also increased. In 1970 the
capacity of shovels and front loaders was 15 and 10 yd3, and the truck payload
was 50 tons; while today there are 80 yd3 shovels, 37 yd3 front loaders and 360
ton trucks.
Also the production drilling has evolved from using a 61/2 in diameter, in the
seventies, to the 105/8 and 121/4 in diameters commonly used today in large
open pits. Larger mining equipment allows larger production blasts, but it
makes difficult to achieve well-groomed slopes and increase the blast-induced
damage in the rock mass. All this and a decreasing trend in the price of most
metals, makes the slope design a key factor for the open pit mining business.
Hence, any optimization is related to the feasibility of achieving steeper slopes
in pits whose depth in many cases will exceed 800 m. This can be achieved only
by sound geological and geotechnical engineering, a team work focused on
slope monitoring and management, and accepting the occurrence of some
failures through the open pit operating period.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 12
Bench height defined by the characteristics of drilling and loading equipment.
Bench face inclination depends on the structural pattern and the quality of the
blasting.
Berm width defined to contain the material from bench-scale failures.
This bench-berm system defines the maximum possible interramp angle, which
for the purpose of mine planning is defined from bench toe to bench toe and
does not depend on the number of benches.
Ramp width usually defined considering the characteristics of the trucks.
Interramp slope stability is evaluated considering the maximum interramp
height to define the interramp angle. If this value is lower than the one
resulting from the bench-berm geometry it becomes necessary to increase the
berm width and/or reduce the maximum interramp height.
Once the interramp slopes have been defined the overall slope is evaluated. If
required, the overall angle is reduced by increasing the ramp width and/or
decreasing some interramp angles and/or adding ramps.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 13
There are two main factors for designing an open pit slope: the bench-berm
geometry, and the interramp slopes. The bench-berm geometry defines the
interramp angle; and it should be such that the mine operation can achieve the
required bench face inclination, and the berm width should be wide enough to
contain the debris from bench-scale failures, guarantying a safe mine
operation.
The interramp slopes not only define the stability of the overall slope, but also
the availability of ramps. Indeed, loosing a ramp due to an interramp slope
failure can have a larger impact on the mine operation than an overall slope
failure in a sector without ramps.
In addition to a good characterization of the rock mass and its geological
structures, the geotechnical design of a pit slope also requires: an assessment
of the quality of the mine operation in connection with blasting (blast induced
damage) and loading (shovel induced damage), the analysis of different types
of failure, the evaluation of their possible consequences and impact on the mine
plan, and some acceptability criteria defining which is permissible regarding
the degree of stability of the different pit slopes, commonly defined in terms of
the minimum permissible factor of safety, FS, and/or the maximum permissible
probability of failure, PF.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 14
Consideraciones
Operacionales
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 15
LO BUENO....
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 16
LO MALO....
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 17
Y LO FEO.
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 18
Criterios de
Aceptabilidad
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 19
To define if a slope design is acceptable an acceptability criteria is required. In civil
engineering slopes it is common to consider a minimum permissible value of 1.5 for the
factor of safety, and in many pit slopes a value of 1.3 has been considered the minimum
acceptable. This numbers seem to have worked in the past, but they give no indication
on the uncertainties in the input data, the reliability of the design or the possible
consequences of slope failure, making very difficult to decide rationally which is the
best option for the open pit mining business from a series of pit slope designs.
Open pit mining business looks for steeper slopes, but at the same time it requires a
safe operation and that the consequences of an eventual pit slope failure do not exceed
the possibilities of the mining business. Hence, the questions are:
What types of slope failures can affect the pit?
Which is the probability of occurrence of a certain type of pit slope failure?
What are the possible consequences of such pit slope failure?
Can the mine afford those consequences?
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 20
( ) 1 y Probabilit = FS PF
( ) es Consequenc Cost PF R = = Risk
Accidents with time loss, ATL
Economical losses, EL
Unacceptable economical losses, UEL
and defines maximum acceptable probabilities for each one of
these classes. In the case of accidents with time loss, the probability
should low enough to fulfill the best international standards on safe
mine operation. The definition of the maximum permissible
probabilities for economical losses and unacceptable economical
losses is not a geotechnical but a corporative business decision.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 21
Once these maximum acceptable probabilities are defined, the model uses
fault and event trees to determine the resulting probabilities of suffering
accidents with time loss, economical losses and unacceptable economical losses
for a pit slope failure with a given failure probability of occurrence. Hence, if
PF
ATL
, PF
EL
and PF
UEL
are the values of PF such that results in the maximum
acceptable probabilities for ATL, EL and UEL, the maximum permissible value
of PF is given by:
{ }
UEL EL ATL
PF PF PF PF , , min =
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 22
Optimizacin del
Negocio Minero
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 23
The concepts previously discussed have been successfully applied to optimize the mining business of
some open pit operations. A good example is the case of Collahuasis Ujina pit in northern Chile,
where the pit slope design of the feasibility study was optimized by defining an acceptability criterion
that accepted the occurrence of slope failures, and redesigning the pit slopes according to these
criteria. The acceptability criteria were defined considering that:
There are two access ramps to the pit bottom.
The final pit wall would be achieved using controlled blasting techniques, including pre-splitting, in
order to minimize the blast induced damage.
A slope drainage and depressurization system would be implemented, in accordance with the
recommendations of the hydrogeological study.
There are no in pit infrastructure, and all surface infrastructure is far away from the pit.
The mine will maintain an ore stockpile of at least 1,000,000 tons.
The mine operation will include 56 to 73 yd
3
shovels, 28 yd
3
front loaders, and 240 to 360 ton trucks.
The debris resulting from an eventual pit slope failure should be removed in no more than one week.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 24
Considering all this, the maximum permissible failure tonnage was defined
as 800,000 tons.
For failures affecting tonnage or smaller ones, a probability of failure of
30% was considered as the maximum acceptable.
For larger failures the following acceptability criteria were defined:
If the failure does not occur in a critical location, then:
FS 1.25 and PF 12%.
If the failure does occur in a critical location, like a ramp switch back, then:
FS 1.45 and PF 4%.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 25
Using these criteria the pit slopes were redesigned, which resulted in
steepening the interramp angles from 6o to 15o in respect to the design of the
feasibility study. This steepening improved the net present value of Ujina in
about US$ 100,000,000, considering that the mine operation would last 8 years
and taking into account the costs of implementing the controlled blasting and
slope dewatering and depressurization programs.
Ujina pit began its operation in June 1996, and its operation ended in August
2004. During these years there have been several slope failures at Ujina:
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 26
January 1998: 3 benches (45 m) in the SW wall suffered a slope failure affecting
about 80,000 tons. The probable cause was the presence of a geological fault.
April 1998: 4 benches (60 m) in the SW wall suffered a slope failure affecting
about 120,000 tons. The probable cause was the presence of argillic and poor
quality rock at the slope toe.
July 1998: 5 benches (75 m) in the SW wall suffered a slope failure affecting
about 800,000 tons. The probable cause was the presence of a geological fault.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 27
Failure of 5 benches (75 m) in the SW wall of Ujina pit, affecting about 800,000 tons.
July 1998
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 28
December 1998: 5 benches (75 m) of the West wall suffered a slope failure
affecting about 180,000 tons. The probable cause was the presence of a geological
fault.
July 1999: 3 benches (45 m) in the SE wall suffered a slope failure affecting about
80,000 tons. The probable cause was the presence of a geological fault, and poor
quality rock at the slope toe.
July 1999: 2 benches (30 m) in the SW wall suffered a slope failure affecting
about 30,000 tons. The probable cause was the presence of a geological fault, and
poor quality rock at the slope toe.
July 1999: 2 benches (30 m) in the SE wall suffered a slope failure affecting about
80,000 tons. The probable cause was the presence of a geological fault, and poor
quality rock at the slope toe.
February 2000: 6 benches (90 m) in the West wall suffered a slope failure
involving about 800,000 tons. The probable cause was the presence of poor quality
ignimbrite dipping towards the pit, and this was aggravated by intense rains and an
earthquake.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 29
400 m
120 m
400 m
120 m
Sector affected by cracks in the upper part of the West wall of Ujina pit.
August 1999.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 30
Failure of 6 benches (90 m) in the West wall involving about 800,000 tons. The probable cause of this
failure was the presence of poor quality ignimbrite dipping towards the pit, and this was aggravated by
intense rains and an earthquake.
February 1999
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 31
Mining equipment working on the removal of the broken rock, and changing
the slope geometry in the sector affected by the slope failure.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 32
West wall of Ujina pit after the stabilization of the sector affected by the slope
failure of February 2000.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 33
March 2000: The South wall showed signs of instability, and a failure could affect
the access ramp. The remedial measures included the removal of 500,000 tons
(Pushback 3) and 100,000 tons (Pushback 4).
May-October 2002: The nose defined by the Phases East and South of Ujina pit
(which has been analyzed using Flac3D) showed cracking and signs of instability.
This behavior was expected and, after a careful geotechnical inspection, it was
decided that any failure will be too slow to affect the mine operation and remedial
measures were taken, except the periodic removal of spilled material.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 34
Three-dimensional model of the nose defined by the Phases East and South of
Ujina pit, developed using Flac3D by Mendez & Lorig (1999).
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 35
Plan view showing the displacement contours resulting from the Flac3D model. The nose height
is 240 m, and the maximum displacement is 1.25 m (from Mendez & Lorig (1999)).
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 36
S
E
BENCH 4270
Overall view of the nose defined by the Phases East and
South of Ujina pit, northern Chile, in 2002.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 37
Cracking and loosening of the nose defined by the Phases East and South of Ujina pit (which has
been analyzed using the Flac3D model. This behavior was expected and, after a careful
geotechnical inspection, it was decided that any failure will be too slow to affect the mine operation.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 38
March 2003: 2 benches (30 m) in the East Wall suffered a slope failure involving
about 40,000 tons. The probable cause was the presence of poor quality
paleogravels overlying argillic rocks.
October 2003: 3 benches (45 m) in the East Wall suffered a slope failure involving
about 140,000 tons. The probable cause was the presence of structures and poor
quality argillic rocks.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 39
In all these cases instability signs were detected before the failure, and the
measures required to maintain a safe mine operation were opportunely
implemented. These good results have been achieved thanks to a team work
including the geotechnical, mine planning and mine operation groups.
The cumulative cost of all these failures is about US$ 7,000,000. Therefore,
rock slope engineering allowed in an eight-year period savings of more than
US$ 90,000,000 at Ujina, optimizing Collahuasis mining business.
Karzulovic (2004)
Dr Ing Antonio Karzulovic
CRITERIOS DE DISEO 40
FIN

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