Transbaikal State University, Chita, Russia:

G. G. Pirogov, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, pirogov.chita@mail.ru
V. V. Medvedev, Head of Chair, Candidate of Engineering Sciences
V. E. Podoprigora, Associate Professor

Priargunsky Mining and Chemical Works, Krasnokamensk, Russia:

S. V. Popov, Head of Mining Department

Expansion of the raw material supplies base at Priargunsky Mining and Chemical Works is connected with the construction and commissioning of Mine-6. The reserves of the mine are represented by the Argun, Zherlovskoe and Pyatiletnee deposits. With respect to size and volume of reserves, the Argun deposit is among the largest uranium ore objects, while the Zherlovskoe and Pyatiletnee deposits are small objects. Ore reserves of the Argun, Zherlovskoe and Pyatiletnee deposits make 77.5, 11 and 11.5% of the total ore reserves of Mine-6. Ore bodies are composed of unstable but sufficiently valuable ore, and the expedient mining technology for them is top-down slicing with cemented backfill. For extraction of medium-strength crude ore, it is suggested to use mining system with sublevel drifts and self-propelling machinery. The improved quality of ore fragmentation by fans of blasthole charges is achieved by implementation of the proposed recommendations based on the long-term investigation of drilling departures from project. According to technological procedures approved at Priargunsky Mining and Chemical Works, mined-out voids are sealed by cemented backfill or gangue. The proposed technology assumes separate formation of gangue–cemented backfill made of aggregate and binder directly on-spot. One of the variants of the separate fill method involves filling of mined-out void with preliminary uncrushed gangue flow onto pre-filled layer of paste backfill mix. As an alternative to the system of sublevel drifts, the system of slice stoping by inclined cuts with cemented paste backfill is analyzed.

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