Norilsk Nickel’s Polar Division, Norilsk, Russia:

T. P. Darbinyan, Director of Mining Department
S. Yu. Shilenko, Director of Occupational Health and Safety Department
I. V. Kopranov, Head of Support System Subdivision at Mining Department, KopranovIV@nornik.ru
A. A. Kisel, Head of an office at the Center for Geodynamic Safety

The authors appreciate participation of V. P. Marysyuk, Yu. N. Nagovitsin, A. A. Bazin and V. A. Gorpinchenko, experts of Norilsk Nickel’s Polar Division, in this study.

The Company’s experts have developed and approved the concept of comprehensive mineral mining. This approach allows extending the sustainable performance time of Norilsk Nickel, at the attained copper and nickel production and total value of metals in produced ore. Installation of mine support is one of the critical processes in underground mining and construction. Mine support prevents deformation of excavation boundaries, holds detached rocks and is one of the ground control approaches. The use of new equipment and materials in mine support installation can improve mining safety, shorten duration of scaling and support setting operations, reduce the influence of the ‘human factor’ on the support quality, as well as can minimize or totally eliminate hand labor in rock support installation. Improvement of mechanization, productivity of labor and safety of mining needs new equipment for rock support in mines of the Company. Mine support designs should prefer modern and effective systems (different rock bolts, bolting with reinforcement meshing or framing, hybrid and reinforced hybrid support); systems of the least labor and material input; systems with overall mechanization of actual mining and heading, at reduced estimate cost and enhanced safety.

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