A design procedure for cemented fill for open stoping operations

Open stoping is one of the most popular mining methods because it improves productivity and efficiency, thereby improving the economy of underground mining. Interchamber pillar recovery, as a secondary mining operation, is closely related to backfill stability, which varies mainly with the cement content in the fill. To maximize the ore recovery and production economy, a rational approach to the fill design is of primary importance.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a basis for cemented fill design. The backfill strength, in relation to fill block size exposed during pillar recovery operation, cement content and fill slurry density, is based on data obtained from experimental investigations conducted in the laboratory and several mine sites.

To accelerate the design process, a computer program is developed and the backfill parameters can be determined using nomograms as well.