24•h U.S.

Symposium
on Rock Hechantcs
June L983

LOGISTM

TIlE INFLUENCEOF DILUTION ON

THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF A
MASSIVE SULPHIDE DEPOSIT

RD1JI N.O. KERSTJ•

Anglovaal Limited
P. O. Box 63279
Marshalltown
2107
Republic of South Africa

ABSTRACT

The influence of dilution on the financial viability of a massive

sulphide deposit can be illustrated with the aid of the cost-volume-
profit concept. This concept has been applied to a current mining
operation where it is known that dilution has an important influence
on the profitability. As an example it is indicated that with an
increase in working costs, and a decrease in dilution, a greater
profit can be made.
The importance of the above is comparedto the meansand methods
available in rock mechanics which are used to predict dilution. In
the initial stages of a feasibility s.tudy, borehole cores only, and in
someinstances, prospect shafts are available to the rock mechanics
practitioner.
With the aid of this information he has to be able to predict the
stability of excavations for various spans, depths, and geometries.
The various methodsat our disposal are then investigated and
their reliability to answer the crucial questions are then checked.
It is concluded that our theoretical knowledge is inadequate to
make sensible recommendations and that the empirical approach be
adopted.

INTRODUCTION
Where stopes are to be filled with the
In the conceptual planning stages of a purpose of mining the pillars thereafter, the
tabular deposit, the rock mechanics pillar sizes are not as critical from a
practitioner is called upon to supply the size strength point of view since these will
of pillars, as well as the dimensions of the generally be bigger than those discussed above
stopes to be cut. purely from the point of developmentrequire-
ments. (However, the stability of development
Pillar design is reasonably well understood within the pillar becomescritical, but will
in terms of strength formulae. (l) Where rib not be discussed here).
and crown pillars are to be robbed, their size
should be such that they just remain stable In summary, pillar design is reasonably
until blasted; the design therefore is well understood with the uniaxial compressive
critical. strength of the rock massas the essential
input requirement.

687
In deciding on the dimensions of the stope,
the rock mechanics practitioner has not got an
accepted design procedure. This aspect is
generally discussed in the literature (2, 3,
4,) bu• no definite guidelines are given which
could be used in the planning stages of a
future mine. One of the reasons could be that
in the case of massive deposits, all the stope
walls consist of ore, and any material falling
into the stope has no significant influence on
z
the grade; the main difficulty is secondary
blasting at the drawpoints.
•o
However, stope dimensions become critical
where the orebody is relatively narrow (+ 10 •J z

metres) and both sidewalls are exposed.

Sublevel and haulage level intervals are

designed mainly on mining engineering
considerations and the stability aspect is
20 30 40
generally not highlighted (5). Even if the
% DILUTION
stability of stope sidewalls is considered to
be critical, no generally accepted design
procedure is available. Figure I. Relationship betweenPercentage
Dilution and BreakevenTonnage.
The above considerations have a significant
economic implication, as the estimate of the
possible amount of dilution becomes critical With 20% dilution 150 000 tons/month have
for certain ore deposits. This point will be to be produced, however, if dilution increases
illustrated with an example and it is obvious to 30% 250 000 tons per month have to be
that this aspect requires as much attention,
if not more, as pillar design procedures.
produced. Note also the relative flat portion
of the curve between l0 and 20%.
INFLUENCE OF DILUTION ON PROFITABILITY
Obviously the abovementionedis critical
Dilution is defined as the ratio of tons
in the designof a miningoperation and
requires the sameamountof attention as the
of waste, divided by the total tons of waste other design parameters based on the overall
and ore drawn. Multiplied by 100 gives the mining considerations.
percentage dilution.
To illustrate the influence of dilution, Observations
the figures from a typical base metal mine are
given below. Fig 2 is a plot of the depth of sidewall
failure of stopesin a copper-zincmine in
Monthly production 240 000 tons SouthAfrica from which it appearsthat the
Clean copper grade 1,5% amountof sidewall collapse is limited to
Clean zinc grade 3,0% 1 to 3 metres.
Working costs: Variable cost R14,50/ton
Fixed cost RI,2 x 106/month Also indicated are the values for the rock
Revenue on mine (after quality designation(RQD)indicating that for
transport and refining costs valuesin excessof 80%sidewall collapseis
have been subtracted). limited to I metre. For RQDvalues between60
Copper R12,14/1% and 80%collapse of up to 2 metres in to the
Zinc R 4,70/1% sidewall occurs, and for values less than 60%
collapses can extend up to 3 metres into the
Mill recovery 85% sidewall. Note that there are points with
RQDvalues between 60 and 80 percent where
(Zinc price $800/ton and copper œ850/ton) collapse occurs up to 3 metres. This is the
direct result of the influence of incorrect
Fig. I is a plot of the breakeven point subleveldevelopment,
whichhasan extremely
for various dilution rates. importanteffect which is not discussedhere.

688

• 80
• 60
I0
Figure 2.
sidewall collapse for various stope spans.
With a stope width of 10 metres and a
collapse of I m of sidewall, the percentage
dilution is 10%, but if the orebody thickness
reduces to 3 metres, the stope becomes
unpayable to mine.
The observations given in fig. 2 has led
the author to the conclusion that not only is
it necessary to define the overall rock mass
quality, but also individual values along
! metre intervals into the s•dewall
stope.
DESIGN PROCEDURESFOR OPEN STOPE
In the literature (1) studied by the
author very little to no reference
design procedurefor open stopes, the data
generally refers to measurementsof individual
mineswith no general application (3, 4).
By comparison,rock massdescriptions for
block cave operations are given in numerous
publications and an investigation of these
could lead to criteria for sublevel stoping.
Laubscher defines rock masses in terms of their
caveability andmentionsthat class I type of
rock as very difficult to cave. (7).
EQD
ß
ß
ß
20 30 40 50 60
SPAN-- METRES
RQDvalues and the amount of
Fromthis study it appears that virtually
no work has been done to quantify this aspect
for sublevel stoping, and the only conclusion
that can be drawn is that class I type of rock
can be considered as stable enoughfor sublevel
stoping.
Whenusing the theory of elasticity as a
possible meansfor calculating the optimum
of the stope dimensions, the author has found that
there could possibly be a correlation between
the elastic closure and the amount of dilution.
This, however, is a very tenuous correlation
and the continuum approach has not been
pursuedany further. The main reasonbeing
is made to that in the tensile regions aroundthe stope
the discontinuous nature of the rock mass is
the predominent property and cannot be
simulated.
An alternative approach is to describe the
rock mass in such a manner that it can be used
on an international scale for comparative
purposes. The rock mass classifications
developed by Bieniawski, Barton and Laubscher
seemed to bear promise on this line of attack
and were therefore investigated in somedetail.
689
 Two of the three systemswere invest- It is concluded that the empirical method
igated andcompared
by Brumleve(7) whofound offers the greatest chance of success.
that the correlation between the systems
In order to arrive at some comparable
developed by Bieniawski and Barton are results it is recommended that
reasonably
reliable. He further givesa list
of advantagesand disadvantagesof both
systemsas foundin practice. The Q-system l) the Q-system of classification be used
was selected by the author as it wasfoundto
be practical and fast to use. 2) the rock mass description be confined to
the i•nediate vicinity of the orebody (and
With a description of the rock mass the orebody itself) say 10 metres either side
in 1 metre intervals.
quality, the next step in the design
procedure
is to obtaina valuefor the loading Acknowledgement
conditions. Howeversince we are not in a
position to calculate thesethe only apparent The author wishes to thank the Management
practical solutionto the problemis to use of AnglovaalLimited for permissionto publish
empirical data.
this paper.
Againreferring to the example
givenfor
block cavingoperations, the overall rock mass REFERENCES
rating, within whicha sublevelstoping
operationcanbe considered,shouldbe Pariseau William, G., 1982, Shear stability of
defined.
mine pillars in dipping seams: 23rd US
Symposium in Rock Mechanics pp. 1077-1090.
This rating mustthenagainbe subdivided
in terms of spanat which failure will Brady, Barry H.G., 1981, Determination of
commence.
stability of underground mine structures":
The abovementioned will make it possible Conference on the desig• and question of
to predict the onset of dilution, but not the cavingandsublevelstopingmines,
amount. Denver pp. 427-436.

In order to be able to predict the amount Alexander, E.S. and Fabjanczyk N.W., 1981,
of dilution it is necessary to subdivide the Extraction designing open stopes for
hangingwall and footwall in 1 m intervals and pillar recovery in the 1100 orebody at
the Q-value for each individual metre is Mount Isa: Conference on the design and
plotted on separate plans for hangingwall and operation of caving and sublevel stoping
footwall. The purpose of this plot is to mines, Denver pp. 437-458.
delineate weak areas in the in•nediate stope
sidewall, and also to determine of how much is Alexander, L.G., Maconochie, D.J.,
likely to collapse into the stope. Matthews, S.M. and Tillman, V.H., 1981,
Observations and analysis of rock
All the abovementioned data must be deformation around some open stopes:
available in the planning stages i.e. data Conference on design and operation of
must be obtained from the prospect boreholes. caving and sublevel stoping mines,
Without this detail it will be difficult to Denver pp. 483-498.
decide whether a sublevel stoping operation is
feasable within the parameters stipulated. Folinsbee, J.C. and Clarke, R.W.D., 1981,
Selecting a Mining method: Conference on
CONCLUSIONS Design and operation of caving and
sublevel stoping mines, Denver pp. 55-65.
The importance of estimating the amount of
dilution to be expected in a sublevel stoping Laubscher, D.H., 1981, Selection of Mass
operation has been pointed out and the ways underground mining methods: Conference on
and means of doing this in the past have been design and operation of caving and
discussed. sublevel mines, Denver pp. 23-38.

Unfortunately this discussion has not Brumleve, Charles B. and Maier, Michael M.,
provided answers but suggestions are made of 1981, Applied investigations of rock mass
how to possibly solve one of the major response to panel caving, Henderson mine,
problems facing the profession until such Colorado U.S.A.: Conference on Design and
time when discontinuous media can be handled operation of caving and sublevel stoping
in a practical manner analytically. Mines, Denver pp. 223-249.

690