Kinematic assessment of slopes at handlebar hill open cut mine, Mt. Isa, Queensland, Australia

Abstract

A complete kinematic analysis was conducted for the west slope at the Handlebar Hill mine using the Rocscience/Dips 6.0 software. The west slope was divided into three zones: W1 (south-west), W2 (mid-west) and W3 (north-west), which were then subdivided into nine small elements to increase the certainty of parameters. This enabled the analysis to define the potential kinematics of motions of critical structures. Small scale joints, bedding, faults, shears along the discontinuities were plotted and the data were analysed systematically. The results indicated that the potential toppling mode created by discontinuities can lead to direct/flexural toppling failure. The kinematic feasibility also revealed that the intersections of the discontinuities within the critical zone can structurally control the wedge planar failure modes. The results will assist the mine geotechnical engineers to understand the potential slope failure mechanisms and their locations.