COURS INTENSIF (disponible uniquement en anglais)

Level: Intermediate

Facilitators: Yousef Abolfazlzadeh & Amir Rostami, Mining One PTY Ltd

This one-day short course focuses on applying seismic monitoring and numerical modelling in underground mines to enhance safety by reducing risks using mXrap and FLAC3D software packages.

The first half of the course focuses on seismic analysis, covering fundamental aspects of seismicity in mines, general seismic analysis, seismic risk assessment, and re-entry protocols. This section is designed to provide essential seismic knowledge and hands-on experience of mXrap software to conduct seismic analysis to mitigate associated risks in underground mines. 

The second half provides an introduction to numerical modelling for underground mining operations covering the basic principles of advanced numerical modelling. Using Cavroc’s user friendly StopeX interface and Improved Unified Constitutive Model (IUCM) to construct and analyse FLAC3D models quickly and easily.

Finally, a summary of the advanced analysis and the real world value that can be obtained will be provided. Attendees will be given the skills to construct a model during the session using a case study dataset with pre-processed model outputs.

Details of each session are as follows:

1. Seismic Analysis:

Session 1.1: Fundamentals of Seismic Analysis in Mines

·       mXrap Software installation                                         

·       Fundamentals of Seismic Monitoring in Mines

·       General Seismic Analysis (Including Grid Based Analysis)

Session 1.2: Seismic Risk and Re-entry Protocols            

·       Seismic Hazard

·       PPV Calculation

·       Exclusion Zone

·       Omori Decay

·       Seismic work and seismic work rate

2. Numerical Modelling:

Session 2.1: Introduction to Numerical Modelling in Mining

·       What is numerical modelling?

·       Why has mining been so slow to adopt it?

·       How StopeX can achieve that.

Session 2.2: Constructing a Model

·       3D geometries – what is needed, and why?

·       IUCM Geotechnical Properties

·       The importance of Anisotropy

·       Building Simple Input File

Session 2.3: Running and analysing a numerical Model

·       Visual plotting, and interpretation of key parameters (strain, stress, displacement, velocities, energy)

·       Objective Analysis, What can be extracted for objective comparisons to monitoring?

·       Seismic Outputs in correlation with seismic monitoring (grid-based analysis for seismic predictions)

Session 2.4: Advanced Modelling Applications – a brief outline

·       Cavroc, RocboX Capabilities

·       Ground support modelling

·       Interpretation criteria Selection Dynamic vs Static

One detailed case study of an underground mines will be provided during the course to show the application of these analyses in a decision-making process for a safer mining operation.

*The drivers for mXrap installation will be provided to the attendees 1 week before the workshop.

Participants are required to bring their own laptop with the admin rights.

Short Course Objectives:

The seismic section is designed to provide essential seismic knowledge and hands-on experience of mXrap software to conduct seismic analysis to mitigate associated risks in underground mines. During the numerical modelling section, attendees will be given the skills to construct a model during the session using a case study dataset with pre-processed model outputs.

Target Audience:

Mining Engineers Mine Managers Mine Geologists Mining Students

About the instructors:

Yousef Abolfazlzadeh is a rock mechanics specialist with substantial professional and academic experience in analysis and interpretation of mining induced seismicity. Yousef holds a PhD in Mining engineering from Queen’s University and a master’s from Laurentian University, Canada. Yousef joined Mining One as a senior geotechnical specialist in 2021. In his previous jobs, he was involved in various aspects of ground control engineering, seismicity and rock mechanics and worked with geotechnical data from some of the deepest hard rock underground mines in the world.

Amir Rostami is an adaptable and diligent Geotechnical specialist with over 9 years of experience. Amir is skilled in mine stability evaluation with strong knowledge in rock mechanics, seismicity and geostatistics. He is experienced in the practical application of seismic analysis with mXrap and numerical modelling software packages. Amir holds a Master of Mining Engineering from Queen’s University, Canada.