Slope monitoring practices at open pit porphyry mines in British Columbia, Canada. Issue 3 (3rd May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nunoo, Samuel; Tannant, Dwayne D.; Newcomen, H. Warren
• Is Part Of: International journal of mining, reclamation and environment. Volume 30:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 245
• Page End: 256
• Publication Date: 2016-05-03
• Subjects: BC open pits -- pit wall monitoring -- movement limits -- total station -- prisms -- lidar -- radar -- extensometers; Mining engineering -- Periodicals; Mineral industries -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Abandoned mined lands reclamation -- Periodicals; 622.292
• DOI: 10.1080/17480930.2015.1038865
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-0930

Abstract

Abstract : A survey of pit wall monitoring practices was conducted at all large open pit copper–molybdenum mines in British Columbia. The survey found that these mines tend to rely on visual inspection and prism surveys as the primary techniques for pit wall management. Open standpipe piezometers and wire-line extensometers are also used. Newer monitoring technologies are slow to be adopted by the mines. One exception is slope stability radar, which is used at two mines. All mines have established movement thresholds that trigger different operational responses. These thresholds do not appear to be based on the pit depth or rock mass conditions.