van Heerden, Ross2023-04-112023-04-112022https://hdl.handle.net/10539/34970A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Mining Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022Rock mass classification is in use throughout most of the mining industry, but not in common practice with narrow tabular gold-bearing orebodies at great depth. Many classification systems exist, but only one classification system was designed for mining applications, which is the MRMR system designed by Laubscher (1990). MRMR was mainly developed for caving applications, but through a thorough literature review and underground investigations, it was found to be the best suited for this particular application. The system has been modified to suit the narrow tabular reef mining environment at great depth, to assess the hanging wall objectively and to incorporate relevant mining adjustments, and rock mass rating properties. Therefore, although rock mass classification is not widely practised in the narrow tabular gold-bearing orebodies, this modified system is well suited for the environment. The system has been designed to be simple and easy to use.enDissertation