ASSIGNMENT ON UNDERGROUND METAL

MINING

STOPING METHOD

Submitted by:
Guided by: Nitish anand
Mr. Patel sir Nitesh demta
Rajan verma
Rahul agarwal
Rahul dewangan
Pradeep kumar
Praveen tigga
Prem ranjan
Classification of mining
methods
Factor affecting the choice
of mining method
Overhand
Underhand
Brest stoping
Open stoping
Sublevel stoping
Room & pillar method
 STOPING

Stoping is the final extraction of an ore body that

has already been developed. The main work
consists of drilling and blasting of ore removal of
broken ore from working place and supporting the
ground so that the operations can be carried out
safely. Various methods of stoping are adopted to
exploit different ore deposits but the main objective
in all cases is to mine the ore deposits in safest
and most economical way without sacrificing the
interest of conservation of minerals, a wasting
asset.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE CHOICE OF MINING
METHOD
The shape, size and regularity of deposit.
Mineralogical character and value of ore and the distribution of
values.
The dip, width and strength of the ore.
The character of the walls.
Ease with which ore separates from the walls.
Continuity of the ore within the boundaries of the deposits.
The cost and the availability of the support material.
Depth below surface, and nature of overburden.
Output desired and extent of mechanisation planned for
stoping within the financial resource available.
Possibility of dilution of ore with waste.
These factors are interdependent and of varying importance.
Their effect on the choice of a mining method will be apparent
as one understands the various methods of stoping and the
circumstances under which they are applicable.
Type of ore
Body Dip Strength of Ore Strength of Walls Possible method
of Mining
Strong Strong Room and pillar
Casual pillar

Thin Bodies Flat Open stopes

Weak or Strong Weak Top slicing
Longwall
Sub-Level stoping
Strong Strong Room and pillar
Cut and fill
Thick
Bodies Flat Weak or Strong Weak Sub-Level stoping
Top slicing
Square set

Weak Strong Cut and fill

Sub-Level stoping
Resuing in
Narrow
Veins Steep Weak or Strong Weak or Strong a) Open stopes or
b) Stilled stopes
 Open stopes
Steep Strong Strong Sub-Level stoping
Shrinkage stope
Cut and fill method
Cut and fill stopes
Steep Strong Weak Square set stope
Thick veins Top slicing sub level caving
Open casual pillar
Square set stope
Steep Weak Strong Top slicing
Block caving
Sub-Level caving
Square set stope
Steep Weak Weak Top slicing
Sub-Level caving
Shrinkage stope
Strong Strong Sub-Level stoping
Cut and fill stopes
Massive Square set stope
Weak Weak or Strong Top slicing
Sub-Level caving

Block caving
CLASSIFICATION OF STOPPING METHOD
A. Stopes naturally supported:
1. Open stoping
a) Open stoping in small ore body
b)Sublevel stoping
c)Long hole stoping
2. Open stopes with pillar support
a)casual pillar
b) room & pillar

B. Stopes artificially supported

3. shrinkage stoping
 a) with pillar
b) without pillar
c) with subsequent waste filling
4. cut & fill stoping

5. stulled stopes in narrow vein

6. square set stoping

C. Caved stoping

7. caving
a) block caving
b)sublevel caving
8. top slicing
OVERHAND STOPING
Stoping starts from a raise in one direction or in other direction.
The stoping operation proceeds from lower level to upper level
and ore is expected in step like faces or benches in ascending
order. The lower benches being driven ahead of the upper ones.
Chute for the broken ore are constructed so that ore falls to the
haulage level protected by the sill pillar. Method is known as
back stoping because it has an appearance of inverted step.
If ore body has a mild gradient which prevents
gravitation of blasted ore, scrapper are used to collect and load
into mine cars. Stoping is started by drivage of an undercutting
level above the sill pillar, starting from the raise. Ore chutes are
provided 5 to 7 meter apart. The ore block is worked from the
bottom upwards but the benches are extracted along the strike.
The miners stand on the planks laid down over the stulls.
Strong Ore and Strong Rock must be present with the steep dip gradient and
the thickness of ore body should be 0.3 to 6 meters.
ADVANTAGES:
•Broken ore falls clear off the face and at steep dip gravitates to the level below.
•Misfires are consequently easily detected.
•Hanging wall and faces are easily accessible for examination.
•The face act as protective overhead cover for the drillers.
•Ore and waste are readily sorted in the stope and later can be packed on stulls
for support.
•There is a reserve of broken ore in the stope in case of temporary stopage.
•There are several boxes at the lower level so that ore can be drawn from many
places at the same time.
•It is a safe since worker can keep an eye on the condition of back and walls of
stope.
•Method permits easy switch over to the other method of mining if mining
condition change.
DISADVANTAGES:
•Not amenable to large scale mechanisation in drilling due to steep gradient.
•Extra work is involved in erection of stopes and working platforms.
FIGURE OF OVERHAND STOPING
Over hand system of panel stoping by powered mining set.
Travelling along monorail has successfully tested at primary
mine USSR.

ADVANTAGES:
•Improved drillers operation safety.
•Obviates stulling.
•Increased labour productivity.

DISADVANTAGES:
•Great volume of development is required
 RILL STOPING
It is a form of overhand stoping where the extraction of ore is in
inclined slices. The longitudinal section looks like an inverted ‘V’
with an inclined back.

CONDITIONS:
Thickness should be less than 5 – 6 meters. However 3 meter is an
economical limit.
Dip should be more than 45 degree.
Deposit shape must be regular.
The boundaries along the walls should be clear.
The ore should be such that much picking of ore is not necessary.
Ore and wall should be strong.
Rill stope may be either open or filled stope. Filling material
is distributed manually and by gravity. Hence general slope of
the stope face is nearly parallel to the angle of repose of
filling material.

DISADVANTAGE:
•Working condition for workers on sloping ways fill are
difficult as drilling and movement are difficult.
•Greater vertical expansion of wall is expose
 UNDERHAND STOPING
 This method is used in working thin steeply dipping veins
enclosed in strong wall rocks. In an underhand stope, the face
is below the driller who is supported partially by the face and
partially by the footwall. The stope is worked in downward
direction from main level to the lower main level commencing
from a winze. At the upper level, a crown pillar along the strike
of ore body is left insitu for support of the main level except for
a few opening to reach the area to be stoped out. A horizontal
slice 2-2.5 meter high is started on top of the ore block.
 Underhand stoping is applied at an angle of 45 – 90 degree.
 Cornish method: it is used for narrow veins.
 Underhand stoping by widening of winze by overhand stoping.
 Mill hole method: it is used for widening and massive deposit
CORNISH METHOD

this method is applied for the ore body having dip 45 to 90

degree.
This method destroys the floor of the upper drive which can be
maintained by a row of stulls or by pillars in later case a second
drive below the pillar is called the stope drive which is kept in
advance of the mining operation. When the stope reaches the
lower level, stulls or pillars of ore are used for overhead
protection. Ore is shovelled to the winze and removed from the
box.
ADVANTAGES:

No timber is required to support the drillers. Downholes are easily

drilled.

DISADVANTAGES:

•The winze becomes blocked with ore, preventing access from the
lower level and stopping the ventillating current.
•There is only one box for withdrawal of ore.
•As area of unsupported hanging wall increases, it becomes
inaccessible for inspection.
 UNDERHAND STOPING METHOD BY WIDENING OF WINZE BY
OVERHAND:

 Narrow deposit having strong ore and walls, it is more suitably

applied to dip from 30 to 45 degree where shovelling or
scrapping in any case be necessary. The bottom of the winze is
widened by moving of the ore overhand untill there is a room
for several boxes or chute, then underhand practice is
followed. Broken ore is shovelled from the face and is directed
by 2 wings of stulls to the boxes above the lower level.

ADVANTAGES:
 The wing does not becomed blocked so that accessibility and
ventilation are improved.
 Compared with overhand stope less timber is required
 MILLHOLE METHOD
 because the roof becomes inaccessible as funnel deepens.
 Mill hole method are used for wide veins and massive deposit,
wide steeply dipping veins having strong ore and walls.
 Entry is done from outside of ore body. The level interval is
about 60-100 ft. Crosscut are made to reach the ore body,
drives are excavated in both directions following the walls. In
the case of massive deposit, these eventually surround the
occurance and meet on the opposite walls. Parallel crosscuts
are then tunnelled to 50-60 ft. Interval dividing the level in 2
blocks. Raises are put up from the drive and crosscuts are
made to the level above.
 The top of the raises are widened to a funnel shaped,
working in benches underhand, leaving the pilar of ore to
support the upper level. When these funnels have been
fully opened, and ore will no longer gravitate, the V-shaped
pillar between them are robbed by raising. Finally they are
drilled with the level pillars. No supports are required but
ore must be strong
COMPARISION BETWEEN O/H & U/H
STOPING
 In overhand stoping, it allows high backs.
 It makes a systematic sorting of the ore possible; ore and waste can
be sorted in the stope and the sorted waste can easily be deposited
in the mined out area.
 Broken ore falls clear off the face; the ore falls to the haulage drived
by the gravity even with a shallow dip.
 Hangingwall and face can be conveniently examined.
 DISADVANTAGE:
 The performance of the drillers is less.
 With a dip exceeding 45 degree, platforms have to be erected in the
stopes for the miners.
 Much supporting material is used.
 The losses of fine ore are considerable.
 BREAST STOPING
CONDITION:
Deposit of horizontal dip or mild dip.
Thickness of ore upto 5 meter.
Laying at moderate depth.
Ore should not be of much value as some ore pillars have to be left. In this
method, the ore is broken by flat ore slightly inclined holes drilled in a vertical
plane for width greater than 3 meter, breast method can still be adopted by
taking 2 meter by breasting and the rest by underhand stoping.
Stoping is commenced from raise 1 driven from haulage way 2. Loading
stope 3 is connected with the haulage road 2 by short ore chute and
prepared by drilling and blasting at 6 meter intervals. Face advances along
the strike. The broken ore is slushed, through ore chute and by scrapper hoist
6. Installed in special recess. The worked out stope is supported by irregular
pillar, timber rifts 9 and individual prop 10.
BREAST STOPING METHOD
ADVANTAGES:

Higher labour productivity.

Considerable stoping area and high intensity of stoping.

Simplicity and low prime cost of ore.

Possiblity of mechanisation of drilling and loading at face.

Selective mining is possible.

DISADVANTAGES:

To need for keeping a constant watch on the condition of

the back.

High ore losses in randomly abandoned pillars.

 SUB-LEVEL STOPING
 INTRODUCTION
 Sublevel stoping is also known as blast hole or long hole
stoping, is an open stoping .
 The method is firstly started in the Michigan iron mines in
1902
 Sublevel stoping currently accounts for some 9% of US and 3%
of world noncoal production
 The method is often selected as an alternative to sublevel
caving when dilution levels must be kept to a minimum. In the
Zambian Copperbelt, dilution was reduced from 30 to 20% by
changing from sublevel caving to sublevel stoping,
although recovery dropped from 90 to 80% because of difficulties
in pillar recovery
SUBLEVEL STOPING METHOD
 PREPARATORY WORK
 Mine devolopment genarally starts from the sunk of
shaft in footwall to avoid any subsequent caving
effect.The ore body is vertically divided by cross cuts &
haulage level at every 45m to 120m .Raises are made
to used further subdivided the ore body into blocks
for stoping.
 Driving of cross cutand of 2 or 3 sublevel nearly 20 m
apartat the footwall side with the ore body
 Haulage drift situated at main level below stope
bottom.
PREPARETORY WORK (CONTINUED)

 Stopes are typically contained by a crown pillar,

which protects the level above, rib pillars, and a
sill pillar through which the ore collection
system is cut.
 Draw point system consist loading through
finger raises to a grizzly level and then directly
into mine cars.Draw points are usually 9m
centre to centre.
 METHOD
 The method involvesthe driving of sublevelwith the
prebodyto virtically divided a blockto be stoped.miners
working within the sublevelopenings drill pattern ofor fan
pattern,to blast large vertical sliceof oreore is produced
by drilling & blasting long holewhich may range in
diametre of50-200mmwith length up to 90m.the ore
falls into a large open stopecreated by previous ore
blast.vertical pillar are left between stopes on same
levelthese are called rib pillar.horizontal pillars are leftto
support the main haulage level.the horizontal pillar to
support the upper level is calledcrown pillar, & support
for lower level is called still pillar.
ADVANTAGE
 The continuous availiability of ore are as there is
nosuspension of work for filling.
 Low cost per tonne of ore extracted.
 Number of workers in the stope are few.
 As no draw point have to be devlopedor formed at
the top level production from the top level can be
started early.
 Workers do not have to enter the stope and the
operation are safe.the workers should however
keepback from the brow of the stope and guard
agaiinst the falling rocks.
ADVANTAGE(CONTINUED)

 Retreat mining results in mininmum

mantenance of roadways.
 There is good ventillation through the
sublevels.
 Mechanisation in drilling ,loading and
transpotationis possible.
DISADVANTAGE

 Preparatory work for stoping is heavy & some

what complicated. For good results and
economy long hole drilling is essential & drill
rigs normally not requirwdduring the
devolopment stage ,have to be produced from
abroad, as indigenoussupplier are few.
 Selective mining is difficult.all the ore in
vertical plane has to be extracted.
ROOM & PILLAR METHOD
(APPLICATION)
 Ore with horizontal or flat deposit, maximum
inclination about 30degree or less.
 Compratively stablehanging wall and ore.

 Orebody upto 12 m thickness.

ROOM & PILLAR METHOD
PREPRATION

 In horizontal or nearly horizontal dip deposit the

prepration deposit consist only in the
prepration of roadways for ore.
 In inclined ore deposits are divided vertically in
levels, on which the haulage drills are
established along the footwall & stoping starts
from haulage drift advanced along dip-raise
direction.
METHOD
 In this method the ore is extracted in wide rooms
seprated by pillars of in situ provided in regular
manner for support of hanging wall .the dimension
of room and pillar depends on the such factor as
stability of hangingwall , ore thickness of ore
deposit & rock pressure.pillars are genrally
arranged in regular pattern and shape of pillar is
circular or square in cross-section.the ore left in
pillar may to some extent be recoverd but
generally to be regarded as lost.