A study of the behaviour of the rock mass surrounding the Ventersdorp Contact Reef (VCR) at Kloof Gold Mine aiming at improved support design

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dc.contributor.authorQuaye, George Boadi
dc.date.accessioned2019-07-30T07:24:11Z
dc.date.available2019-07-30T07:24:11Z
dc.date.issued1997
dc.descriptionA project report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThe difference in behaviour of the rock mass surrounding the VCR stopes was believed to be due largely to the different combinations of hangingwall and footwall rock types. The desire to develop a thorough understanding of this behaviour led CSIR, Mining Technology to identify and define of geotechnical areas on all mines exploiting the VCR by CSIR, Mining Technology. The results presented in this report were obtained from "fie of such geotechnical area on Kloof Gold Mine, where the VCR is overlain by soft lava and underlain by quartzite conglomerate. The study was carried out in #3 shaft on both the southern and northern sides of the 33/27 longwall at Kloof Gold Mine. The strategies adopted to study the rock mass behaviour included laboratory testing of rock samples, convergence and extensometer monitoring, mapping of mining induced stress fractures and geological features, and the use of a conceptual model to investigate the mechanisms which could be responsible for the observed behaviour. The results obtained from the convergence monitoring indicated that the closure rate is generally less than 5 mm/day and could be attributed to the low face advance rate. The extensometers did not reveal any appreciable separation of beddingparallel discontinuities in both the hangingwall and footwall strata. Detailed mapping of mining induced stress fractures and geological features showed that the area is highly faulted. Extensive rock falls were noted between the composite timber packs. Stereographic projection of the orientation and inclination of the various discontinuities later revealed that the observed rock falls between the composite timber packs in the area are due largely to the unfavourable intersection of mining induced stress fractures and geological features. Detailed Investigation of the distribution and frequency of both geological features and mining induced stress fractures have been seen to be essential for effective support design studies. A slight reduction in strike spacing between support units could help improve the effectiveness of the support system in the northern panels. The test results obtained from the laboratory have been used as input parameters in a conceptual model to understand some of the mechanisms that could account for the observed behaviour.en_ZA
dc.description.librarianAndrew Chakane 2019en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/27810
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.subjectKloof Gold Mine (Transvaal, South Africa)en_ZA
dc.subjectVentersdorp Contact Reef.en_ZA
dc.subjectRock mechanics -- South Africa.en_ZA
dc.subjectMining geology -- South Africa.en_ZA
dc.titleA study of the behaviour of the rock mass surrounding the Ventersdorp Contact Reef (VCR) at Kloof Gold Mine aiming at improved support designen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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