Sokolov–Sarbai Mining Production Association, Rudny, Kazakhstan:

B. S. Mukhametkaliev, President
E. S. Kalyuzhny, Head of Technological Development Department

Kunaev Institute of Mining, Almaty, Kazakhstan
S. A. Syedina, Junior Researcher, igd_ogm@gmail.com
N. K. Abdibekov, Researcher, Candidate of Engineering Sciences

The recent trend in open pit mining in the world is an increase in the limit depth of open pits. In this connection, it is highly important to ensure slope stability for pitwalls and dumps deformation and failure of which becomes increasingly probable. This circumstance is positively true in the Sarbai iron ore mine, West Kazakhstan. The current depth of the open pit mine is 600 m below the ground surface. The reconstruction project provides for the further increase in the pit depth by 100 m. To this effect, the additional geomechanical study of the lower rock mass strata is required. Aimed to determine physical properties and quality of the lower lying rock mass, 5 vertical holes were drilled for the core sampling and analysis. Stress state of pitwall rock mass was studied using 27 horizontal holes. Based on the obtained data, the mathematical modeling was carried out in 29 profiles drawn down to the limit depth of the open pit mine, and the safety factor of slopes was determined for all profiles. Thus, the geomechanical assessment of the feasibility and conditions for increasing the limit depth in the Sarbai open pit mine was implemented.

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