Question:

Identify the method of stoping used under the following conditions of ore body
Type of Ore body - Massive
Strength of Ore - Weak
Strength of Walls - Week or Strong

Show Hint

Caving methods are the only methods that take advantage of weak ore and rock.
If you see "weak ore" and "massive" in the description, your first thought should be a caving method like Block Caving or Sublevel Caving.
Since Block Caving is the primary method for weak ore, it's the correct choice.
  • Sublevel Stoping method
  • Shrinkage Stoping method
  • Cut and fill method
  • Block Caving
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
We need to select the most appropriate mining method for an orebody with a specific set of characteristics: it is massive (very large in all three dimensions), the ore itself is weak, and the wall rock can be either weak or strong.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's evaluate the suitability of each method based on the given conditions:
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Sublevel Stoping & Shrinkage Stoping: These are "open stoping" methods.
They require the ore and the wall rocks to be strong because large empty voids (stopes) are created.
They are completely unsuitable for weak ore that would collapse uncontrollably.
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Cut and fill method: This method is used for orebodies with weak wall rocks, because artificial fill is used to support the walls as mining progresses.
However, it requires the ore to be at least moderately strong to form a stable roof (the "back") under which miners can work.
It is not ideal for very weak, massive orebodies.
-

Block Caving: This method is specifically designed for large, massive, low-grade orebodies where the ore is weak and prone to collapse.
The method works by undercutting a large "block" of ore, which removes its support.
The weak ore then collapses under its own weight in a controlled manner.
The broken ore is then extracted from drawpoints below the collapsed block.
This method perfectly matches the given conditions: massive orebody and weak ore.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The method suitable for a massive orebody with weak ore is Block Caving.
This corresponds to option (D).
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