At the early stages of an underground mining project in the Canadian arctic, two successive field and laboratory campaigns were undertaken to evaluate intact rock properties (tensile strength and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS). All tests were performed according to the International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM) suggested methods. Intact rock properties were evaluated for several rock types. The obtained results were compared to target levels of confidence associated with different stages of a mining project. This was done using various statistical analysis methods. The results obtained for the different rock types are presented and discussed. A discussion is also provided on the level of confidence required for permanent versus temporary openings at underground mines. The approach can also be used as a tool to identify geotechnical drilling targets for subsequent characterisation campaigns. 1.1 Case study Raglan Mine, a Glencore company, is located at the northern tip of the Ungava (Nunavik) Peninsula in Quebec, Canada, north of the 55th parallel and approximately 1,800 kilometres north of the City of Montreal (Figures 1 and 2). The 70 kilometre-long property consists of a series of high-grade sulphide deposits composed of nickel, copper and PGE. The climate is semi-desert arctic in a region of permafrost https://papers.acg.uwa.edu.au/p/1511_21_Grenon/ Statistical characterisation of intact rock properties at a Canadian underground mining project M Grenon et al.
Using field data from Agnico-Eagle's Meliadine gold project located in Nunavut Territory in northern Canada, a coupled DFN-DEM approach was used to evaluate the rock mass mechanical properties at REV. Variability in the structural data gathered on site and the variability associated with the stochastic modeling process have an impact on discrete fracture model (DFN) properties. Through a sensitivity analysis, this paper assesses the influence of a variation in the DFN model input parameters' values on the rock mass peak properties-uniaxial compressive strength, Young modulus and Poisson ratio. The results not only highlight the possibilities associated with DFN-DEM modeling in characterizing rock mass properties at the engineering scale, they also provide a systematic way to assess the critical structural parameters controlling the rock mass properties. KEYWORDS Rock mass properties, Discrete Fracture Network (DFN), Distinct Element Method (DEM), Coupled DFN-DEM approach, Sensitivity analysis CITATION Grenon M, Bruneau G, & Kalala I. K. Quantifying the impact of small variations in fracture geometric characteristics on peak rock mass properties at a mining project using a coupled DFN-DEM approach. Computers and Geotechnics (2014) 58, 47-55.
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