Block caving mine configurations and methods

Abstract

A block caving mine configuration including one or more drawbells that each funnel into a respective intersection of drives in an extraction level, such that there are at least four draw points at the base of each of the one or more drawbells.

1 . A block caving mine configuration including one or more drawbells that each funnel into a respective intersection of drives in an extraction level, such that there are at least four draw points at the base of each of the one or more drawbells,
 wherein each drawbell includes a lower cavity above the intersection, and an upper cavity with sloping side walls that provide widening of the drawbell, the lower cavity spacing the sloping side walls of the upper cavity from the intersection.   
     
     
         2 . A block caving mine configuration as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the intersection of drives in the extraction level is formed by the intersection of two drives such that each of the four draw points is accessible from a different direction. 
     
     
         3 . A block caving mine configuration as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the extraction level comprises a rectangular grid layout, and
 wherein the configuration includes a plurality of drawbells that each funnel into a respective intersection in the grid, and   wherein the drawbells are spaced from one another by at least one intersection, in the direction of both axes of the grid.   
     
     
         4 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A block caving mine configuration as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the extraction level includes:
 a first plurality of main drives that are substantially parallel; and   a second plurality of main drives that are substantially parallel,   wherein the second plurality of main drives are angled with respect to the first plurality of main drives.   
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A block caving mine configuration as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the first plurality of main drives are substantially equi-spaced from one another, and/or wherein the second plurality of main drives are substantially equi-spaced from one another. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A block caving mine configuration as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein each of the one or more drawbells is located above a respective drawbell area defined by a pair of adjacent drives from the first plurality of main drives, and a pair of adjacent drives from the second plurality of main drives. 
     
     
         12 . A block caving mine configuration as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein within each drawbell area there are two drawbell access drives that intersect, each respective drawbell funneling into the intersection of the two drawbell access drives. 
     
     
         13 . A block caving mine configuration as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein a first of the two drawbell access drives is substantially parallel to the first plurality of main drives and a second of the two drawbell access drives is substantially parallel to the second plurality of main drives. 
     
     
         14 . A block caving mine configuration as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the first of the two drawbell access drives is located substantially at a midpoint between the pair of adjacent drives from the first plurality of main drives that in part define the drawbell area, and the second of the two drawbell access drives is located substantially at a midpoint between the pair of adjacent drives from the second plurality of main drives that in part define the drawbell area, such that the intersection of the two drawbell access drives is substantially centrally located within the drawbell area. 
     
     
         15 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A block caving mine configuration as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the distance between adjacent drawbell centres along a line substantially parallel to the first plurality of main drives is greater than about 35 m, and/or wherein the distance between adjacent drawbell centres along a line substantially parallel to the second plurality of main drives is greater than about 35 m. 
     
     
         20 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A block caving mine configuration as claimed in  claim 1 , where the upper cavity has the shape of an inverted frustum of a rectangular pyramid, and the lower cavity is substantially rectangular prism shaped. 
     
     
         26 . A block caving mine including a block caving mine configuration as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         27 . A block caving mining method including the step of developing a block caving mine configuration as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         28 . A block caving mining method including the step of extracting ore from drawbell draw points in a block caving mine with a configuration as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         29 . Use of a block caving mine configuration as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         30 . A method of developing a block caving mine, the method including:
 establishing an undercut level beneath ore to be mined;   developing an extraction level beneath the undercut level, the extraction level comprising extraction level drives; and   developing one or more drawbells that extend between the undercut level and the extraction level, and that each funnel into a respective intersection of extraction level drives, to provide at least 4 draw points at the base of each of the one or more drawbells,   wherein each drawbell includes a lower cavity above the intersection, and an upper cavity with sloping side walls that provide widening of the drawbell, the lower cavity spacing the sloping side walls of the upper cavity from the intersection.   
     
     
         31 . A method as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the intersection of extraction level drives is formed by the intersection of two drives such that each of the 4 draw points is accessible from a different direction. 
     
     
         32 . A method as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the one or more drawbells is/are developed from undercut level drives and/or the extraction level drives. 
     
     
         33 . A method as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the one or more drawbells is/are developed by drilling and blasting from the undercut level drives and/or the extraction level drives. 
     
     
         34 . A block caving mining method including the steps of:
 developing a block caving mine in accordance with the method as claimed in  claim 30 ;   caving ore into the one or more drawbells; and   extracting ore from draw points of the one or more the drawbells.   
     
     
         35 - 41 . (canceled)