Destressing strategies for mining under highly stressed conditions in the deep mines of Sweden
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Luleå tekniska universitet - Institutionen för samhällsbyggnad och naturresurser |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 4 896 000 |
| Project duration | April 2021 - October 2024 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | The strategic innovation programme for Swedish mining and metal producing industry - SIP Swedish Mining Innovation |
| Call | Tackling sustainability, environmental and climate challenges in the mining and metals industry |
Important results from the project
The aim of this project is to improve safety, production and energy efficiency by significantly decreasing rockfall accidents, production disturbances and rehabilitation work by using destressing techniques. Objectives in detail are to: 1) improve the understanding of the effects of construction methods on excavation stability, 2) develop a methodology for assessing burst-proneness and deformation potential of excavations, 3) evaluate the effectiveness of destress blasting technique, 4) improve the destress blasting design, and 5) develop destressing strategies.
Expected long term effects
The results from this project are: i) a guideline on scaling operations at burst-prone ground to mitigate strainbursts hazard, ii) developed methodology on evaluating the effectiveness of destressing techniques including destress drilling, slotting and blasting, iii) improved blasting design, and iv) developed destressing strategies. In the end, the following KPIs defined in the STRIM Roadmap for 2030 and beyond have been addressed: no fatalities, energy-effective mining processes, and ground control measures that can ensure safe conditions with no unforeseen fallouts.
Approach and implementation
The work was divided into work packages (WPs) and planned as follows WP1: Project coordination WP2: Field investigation of construction methods WP3: Development of methodology WP4: Destress blasting design and its preliminary evaluation WP5: Field monitoring and numerical model calibration WP6: Development of destressing strategies for Swedish underground mines The project has used workshops to discuss and integrate the results between partners approximately every 6 months. The results have also been disseminated at SMI program day, conferences, seminars and thesis.