Optimization of Dump Bench Configuration to Improve Waste Dump Capacity of Narynsukhait Open Pit Coal Mine

In next two years, the current waste dump of Narynsukhait coal mine is predicted insufficient to accommodate the overburden as limited of the waste dump capacity. Thus, redesigning waste dump is paramount to increase capacity of the dump in future. This paper describes current condition of waste dump of Narynsukhait coal mine and then discusses the optimization of waste dump geometry by analyzing the effect of different waste dump’s bench configuration on slope performance. Optimization of the geometry is carried out by investigating and comparing the performance of geometrical combinations of bench height, bench angles and number of safety berm by means of numerical modeling. The model shows that increasing height of bench is able to induce shear stress in the bench and may initiate bench instable. However, the shear stress can be limited by having safety berm and/or reducing bench angle to satisfy the stability criteria.

Study on Improvement of Dumping Site Stability in Weak Geological Condition by Using Compacted Layer

Berau Basin, a sub-basin of Tarakan Basin, had been developed during Eocene to Miocene period. Rocks in Berau Basin consist of sedimentary, volcanic and igneous rocks aged from Pre-tertiary until Quaternary epoch. The youngest identified rock formation was alluvial deposit consists of mud, silt, sand, gravel and swamp with brown to dark color. This youngest rock formation is relatively weak geological condition and can cause problems in the coal mining operation. PT Berau Coal as one of the coal mining companies in Berau Basin area had experienced some problems related to the occurrence of alluvial deposit. A large failure has occurred at one of its out pit dumping?area which lies over the swamp material. The failure caused a higher operating cost since it made that the distance for waste rock dumping became to be farther than the designated area. Therefore, in order to prevent similar failure occurring at dumping area which lies above swamp material, an improvement of dumping site stability on weak geological condition has to be needed. The proposed method for improving the stability of out pit dumping area in weak geological condition is to construct the compacted layer of waste rock before the out pit dumping area construction. Based on experimental results, a minimum of 40 kPa pressure is needed to give a proper compaction to the waste rock. The result of numerical analysis by Finite Element Method (FEM) shows that construction of compacted layer on the base of out pit dumping area can improve its stability.

Study of Internal Waste Dump-Induced Shear Stress Behavior on Pit-Slope

Regardless of beneficial associated with internal waste dump (IWD) method, practices of this method within boundaries of pit-slope have some serious problems on stability issues due to this area is zone of potential failure. This zone is known as dynamic reactive zone which is easy to deform by external force, and inherent dangers of failure posing a threat to slope. Therefore, it is paramount to study the induced shear stress behavior in this zone particularly when IWD method is adopted within this zone. In this paper, a numerical study for investigating IWD-induced shear stress behavior has been carried out using Finite Element Method (FEM) with Strength Reduction approach. Different scenarios as per pit-slope depths, IWD heights and buffer zone lengths have been accounted and simulated using PHASE 2 to understand changes in induced shear stress imposed on the pit-slope. It is found that shear stress imposed on pit slope seems change dramatically with increasing IWD height for case of buffer zone length is less than 100-m-long.