Optimising the design stability of cemented paste backfilled stopes

Abstract

This paper presents an optimisation loop that looked to improve how Newmont’s Tanami Operations (NTO) determines its required stable stope strengths. In order to do this, a comparison exercise was completed, in which NTO’s current stability assessment method was compared to other popular assessment methods ranging from analytical to numerical methods. From this comparison, it was decided to proceed with a different stability assessment method that uses shear stress reduction. The paper then presents how the use of this method was implemented and presents three case studies on how the new stability assessment method has benefited NTO.