Abstract

BLUHM, S; MOREBY, R; VON GLEHN, F  and  PASCOE, C. Life-of-mine ventilation and refrigeration planning for Resolution Copper Mine. J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall. [online]. 2014, vol.114, n.6, pp.497-503. ISSN 2411-9717.

Resolution Copper Mine is planned to be a 2000 m deep panel cave mine with virgin rock temperatures above 80°C in rock with a high crystalline silica content. The planned run-of-mine production rate is 120 kt/day. The project is in prefeasibility evaluation. This paper discusses features of the ventilation system design, which include multiple ventilation shafts with total flow of about 3000 m³/s and both surface and underground refrigeration systems with more than 140 MW total capacity. This will be a very challenging mine to ventilate, but this work has demonstrated that it will be technically achievable with the application of existing technology.

Keywords : mine ventilation; mine refrigeration; dust management; heat load; modelling.

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