This study examines the impact of cut-off grade characteristics on ore dilution and loss performance in multi-drift ore drawing under sublevel caving without a sill pillar, a prevalent mining technique for underground metal deposits in China. Utilizing a combination of physical model tests and PFC3D three-dimensional numerical simulations, the research is anchored in the context of a substantial vanadium-titanium magnetite mine in Sichuan Province. We conducted specific physical model tests for ore drawing, developed a robust numerical calculation model for multi-drift ore drawing, and investigated the influence mechanisms of varying cut-off grades on ore dilution and loss indices within the multi-drift ore drawing production framework. The results from both the tests and simulations indicate that the cut-off grade exerts a highly significant controlling effect on the indices of ore dilution and loss. For each 1% increment in the cut-off grade, there is a corresponding decrease of 5.38% in ore recovery rate, a 6.88% reduction in the waste rock mixing rate, and a 4.29% decrease in ore dilution rate. Conversely, the run-of-mine grade exhibits an opposite trend, increasing by 1.74%. Through multi-objective optimization analysis based on empirical testing and simulation data, an optimal cut-off grade of 18% has been identified for the mine under study. This determination is anticipated to significantly enhance the comprehensive economic benefits of the mine’s routine underground operations. The findings of this research elucidate the relationship between dilution and loss indices and variations in cut-off grade, thereby providing a robust theoretical foundation for the scientific management of ore extraction.
无底柱分段崩落法具有安全性好和成本低等优点,在矿床开采中占据着重要地位(张慧芳,2024),尤其是在铁、铜等金属矿开采中占比较大,国际上使用该方法进行开采的矿山约占25%(刘兴国等,1995;Tan et al,2021;鲁旭等,2024)。然而,该采矿工艺的覆岩下放矿方式,导致开采过程中普遍存在着较高的矿石贫化和废石混入现象(王洪江等,2010;张淦等,2021)。这不仅造成矿产资源的浪费,也影响着矿山企业的经济效益指标。如何优化放矿控制技术以降低贫损指标,已成为提升该工艺应用效益的关键技术瓶颈。
无底柱分段崩落法按放出矿石品位可划分为无贫化放矿、低贫化放矿和截止品位放矿,不同放矿方式对矿石回收率和贫化率影响较大(吴爱祥等,2012;陈诗墨,2016)。为此,降低损失贫化的研究包括放矿理论、采场结构参数优化和回采工艺改进等。研究方法主要有室内相似材料模拟、现场原位试验和数值模拟3种(程爱平等,2011;金爱兵等,2017;谭宝会等,2023;Yan et al,2023)。Castro et al(2022)以砂砾为介质开展物理放矿试验,研究了崩落矿岩流动规律和影响因素,从而剖析流动机理。Sotoudeh et al(2025)通过构建采场结构参数的数学优化模型,研究采场尺寸和截止品位对地下回采作业的影响,结果表明在分段回采作业中合理的采场尺寸和截止品位能够显著提升矿山经济效益;杨作华(2012)研究了截止品位控制与放矿总量控制相结合的放矿管理方式,基于桦树沟矿区实践证实,该放矿方式能够有效提升矿石回收量。Sotoudeh et al(2021)研究了预富集系统与地下矿山集成的技术概念,提出了新型地下截止品位计算方法,并将模型应用于分段停采作业现场。原位试验虽然能真实地反映实际工况,但周期长且成本高,单个项目从设计到完成需数年时间,且易受现场爆破干扰。
由图3和图4可以清晰地观察到,整个放矿过程呈现出典型的矿岩混杂的放矿规律。通过观测模型侧壁矿岩交界线移动轨迹,本研究在矿体倾角45°与进路品字形布置条件下,揭示了关键现象及其规律。首先,下盘残留体呈现显著非对称性,厚度明显大于上盘,因倾角影响导致下分段进路对上一分段下盘残留体的回收不足,造成矿石大量损失,这既是试验回收率偏低的主要原因,也为对应矿山下盘残留矿量过大的实际问题提供了理论解释。其次,由于受品字形布置方式的影响,分段内残留体呈现“一大一小”交替出现的周期性特征:中间进路受两侧散体约束形成小残留体,而边界进路因约束减弱形成大残留体,该形态是进路间距、分段高度和散体力学性质共同作用的结果。此外,观测显示矿岩混杂并非均匀过程,废石以“舌状”或“指状”形式先后穿透至出矿口,尤其在23%高截止品位条件下,为维持高品位而提前终止放矿,导致上部及周边矿石被大量截留,造成回收率下降。最后,模型边界效应的影响在末段放矿中尤为突出,边界阻挡延缓了外侧漏斗发育,并干扰了下盘侧残留体真实形态与移动轨迹的观测,因此将试验结果推广至实际无限边界采场时需对该偏差予以充分考虑。总体来看,本研究对放矿过程的模拟结果与放矿理论中散体的移动规律基本吻合(张春阳,2009;Zhou et al,2025)。因此,本试验立足具体工况,系统研究截止品位对放矿贫损指标的作用机制,以期为后续数值模拟提供关键的校准依据,也为放矿策略的优化提供理论支撑与决策参考。
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