NorNickel’s Polar Division, Norilsk, Russia

I. V. Kopranov, Manager at Mining Practice Supervision Unit of Mining Practice Department

Nornickel Sputnik LLC, Moscow, Russia
M. M. Stolyarov, Head of Basic Production Process Automation Unit

OT-OIL, Moscow, Russia
A. S. Tamakhin, Senior Advisor at Implementation Department, atamahin@atollis.com
O. V. Zhavoronkin, Deputy CEO, Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences

The article presents the major results of automation of mine system selection and design for underground openings using the automated calculation of reinforcement intervals, wireframe models and rock mass rating from Barton’s classification. The approaches to the digital mine support (re-support) certificate and to modeling location of support elements in underground openings are determined. The test data on the support system design mechanics are given, and the main advantages of the automated system and its further applicability are described. The mine support system designing should be methodologically validated and strictly regulated in industry. Improved automation can help select the best mine support system with regard to the rock mass stability factor at all mining stages, minimize the time of design and supervision paperwork and optimize the cost of assemblage and maintenance of the mine support systems. Another benefit of no little significance is the primary data control using the algorithmically adjusted method aimed to reduce errors due to human factors in mine support system design. The key objective was creation of the optimization tools for the best support system design at the stage of the mine project. The developed and designed System uses the methodology adopted at mines of the Polar Division of Norilsk Nickel. A component of the methodology is the rock mass rating using Barton’s classification (Q-system).

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