NorNickel’s Polar Division, Norilsk, Russia:

T. P. Darbinyan, Director, Department of Mining Practice, Candidate of Engineering Sciences
A. V. Bylkov, First Deputy Director of Mineral Resources and Development

Siberian Coal Energy Company, Moscow, Russia:
S. V. Kuzmin, Research Manager in Geomechanics, Mine Planning Directorate, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, sergejkuzmin8839@gmail.com

Ingortech LLC, Yekaterinburg, Russia:

I. V. Shnaider, Head of Geoinformation System Management

Stability assessment is a governing factor of safety in underground mineral mining. The risks which foster instabilities in rock mass in the influence zone of geotechnical engineering structures in mining include karst cavities, faults, lenses and intense jointing zones filled with water. The alteration of stress state in rock mass of a block structure on all scales leads to the redistribution of jointed zones and to migration of gases and fluids. This study aims to assess the structure and parameters of rock mass in neighborhood of underground openings, and to detect water-bearing zones in it using the methods of seismic sounding. The functional testing results obtained by Mikon-GEO in mines of NorNickel’s Polar Division are presented. The field testing procedure and instrumentation are described, and the obtained data are interpreted. By way of illustration, the case-study of ventilation shaft VS 5 nearby water-bearing zones in Taimyrsky Mine is discussed. Sounding from different points and in different directions reveals zones of heavy jointing, with high probability of seepage in adjacent rock mass of ventilation shaft VS 5 in Taimyrsky Mine. At sounding points 1 and 2 (Level –950 m, VS 5), jointing has a high degree along the whole sounding route, and there are two especially contrast and vast zones of jointing. One zone of possible seepage is detected. The seepage probability in this zone is high, of the order of 70 %. There are also local zones of jointing and seepage in the influence zone of VS 5.

The authors appreciate contribution made to this research by the members of the Center for Geodynamic Safety at NorNickel’s Polar Division, namely, by V. P. Marusyuk, Director, M. P. Sergunin, Head of a department, Leading Specialist A. K. Ustinov, and M. Yu. Chebanyuk, Head of the Oktyabrsky Mine Project Implementation Office.

1. Zhihao Kuang, Shili Qiu, Shaojun Li, Shihui Du, Yong Huang et al. A New Rock Brittleness Index Based on the Characteristics of Complete Stress–Strain Behaviors. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering. 2021. Vol. 54, Iss. 3. pp. 1109–1128.
2. Jinglin Wen, Husheng Li, Fuxing Jiang, Zhengxing Yu, Haitao Ma, Xiaolin Yang. Rock burst risk evaluation based on equivalent surrounding rock strength. International Journal of Mining Science and Technology. 2019. Vol. 29, Iss. 4. pp. 571–576.
3. Zuev B. Yu., Zubov V. P., Fedorov A. S. Application prospects for models of equivalent materials in studies of geomechanical processes in underground mining of solid minerals. Eurasian Mining. 2019. No. 1. pp. 8–12. DOI: 10.17580/em.2019.01.02
4. Contreras L.-F., Brown E. T. Slope reliability and back analysis of failure with geotechnical parameters estimated using Bayesian inference. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. 2019. Vol. 11, Iss. 3. pp. 628–643.
5. Pisetskiy V. B. Failure mechanism of sedimentary deposits and friction phenomena in discrete media. Izvestiya vuzov. Gornyi zhurnal. 2005. No. 1. pp. 48–65.
6. Schön J. H. Physical Properties of Rocks: Fundamentals and Principles of Petrophysics. 2^nd ed. Amsterdam : Elsevier, 2015. Vol. 65. Developments in Petroleum Science. 512 p.
7. Pisetskiy V. B., Chevdar S. M., Lapin S. E., Levin V. A., Gorbunov V. A. Selecting a rock mass instability risk criterion using the data of seismics, gas dynamics and geomechanics. Labor Safety and Efficiency in Underground Mining : I International Conference Proceedings. Yekaterinburg : Izdatelstvo UGGU, 2016. pp. 59–65.
8. Lapin S. E. The methodology of the seismic channel in a geographic information system GIS Micon. GIAB. 2019. No. 10. Special issue 35. Idea and methodology of geoinformation system for rock mass dynamics prediction in underground coal mining. pp. 27–42.
9. Marysyuk V. P., Sabyanin G. V., Andreev A. A., Vasiliev D. A. Stress assessment in deeplevel stoping in Talnakh mines. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2020. No. 6. pp. 17–22. DOI: 10.17580/gzh.2020.06.02
10. Gospodarikov A. P., Kirkin A. P., Trofimov A. V., Kovalevsky V. N. Determination of physical and mechanical properties of rocks using anti-burst destress measures. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2023. No. 1. pp. 26–34. DOI: 10.17580/gzh.2023.01.04
11. Pisetskiy V. B., Lapin S. E., Zudilin A. E., Patrushev Yu. V., Shnayder I. V. Procedure and commercial application of seismic control system Mikon-GEO in underground ore and coal mining. Information Technologies in Mining : Proceedings of III All-Russian Conference with International Participation. Yekaterinburg : IGD UrO RAN, 2015.
12. Lapin S. E., Pisetskiy V. B., Patrushev Yu. V., Chevdar S. M. Application results of the seismic method in remote assessment of instability risk in rock mass in underground mineral mining. Seismic Technologies–2016 : Conference Proceedings. Moscow : Feoriya, 2016. pp. 119–121.
13. Schmitt J., Gattermann J., Stahlmann J. Hohlraumerkundung im Tunnelbau. Messen in der Geotechnik. 2004. Heft 77. ss. 173–200.
14. Hanna K., Conover D., Neil D. Application of Advanced Technologies to Delineate Ground Hazards in Coal Mines. Proceedings of the 17^th International Mining Congress and Exhibition of Turkey. Ankara, 2001. pp. 133–141.
15. Otto R., Button E. A., Bretterebner H., Schwab P. The application of TRTTM True Reflection Tomography at the Unterwald Tunnel. Felsbau. 2002. Vol. 20, No. 2. pp. 51–56.
16. Kubuzov E. A., Nagovitsyn Yu. N., Andreev A. A., Rukavishnikov G. D. Assessment of effect of rock mass damage on underground stability of excavations in the Second Southern Lens of Mayak Mine. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2016. No. 7. pp. 23–28. DOI: 10.17580/gzh.2016.07.05
17. Moldovan D. V., Chernobay V. I., Sokolov S. T., Bazhenova A. V. Design concepts for explosion products locking in chamber. GIAB. 2022. No. 6-2. pp. 5–17.
18. Regulatory Documents of the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological, and Nuclear Supervision. Prevention of Gas Dynamic Events in Coal Mines : Source-Book. 4^th revised edition. Moscow : ZAO NTTs PB, 2011. Series 05. Documents for safety, permitting and supervisory actions in coal industry. Iss. 2. 304 p.
19. Yakovlev D. V., Lazarevich T. I. Guidelines on ground control rockburst prevention systems as components of multi-functional safety systems for coal mines. Saint-Petersburg, 2012. 82 p.