’Raise Caving’ - Cheaper and more flexible mining at great d

© Fredric Alm/Alm & ME AB Mass-mining methods, such as block caving or sublevel caving, enable low-cost and efficient mineral extraction, but these methods are associated with high capital cost and risks. Latter mining methods call for mine planning and decision many years in advance. Moreover, block caving and sublevel caving are difficult to apply in at great depths due to the high prevailing stress conditions. Additionally, a lack of flexilibity makes it very difficult to adapt the mine layout and mining sequence to mining experience and prevailing conditions, once development of the mine has started. Scientists of the Chair of Mining Engineering and Mineral Economics at Montanuniversität Leoben in cooperation with the Swedish mining company LKAB address these problems and develop a new mining method. Overview of 'Raise Caving' and its main elements Block caving and sublevel caving have in common that rock mass caves during the extraction of the ore body in a controlled way. As a result regional stress changes, the formation of considerable abutment stresses, large-scale subsidence and significant seismic energy releases occur.