Objective
THE AIM OF THE R&D WORK IS THE SETTING UP OF A CHECKING SYSTEM OF THE UNDERGROUND CAVERNS EVOLUTION IN THE MINE EXPLOITED BY THE ORE SOLUTION TECHNIQUE. THIS SYSTEM WILL CONSIST IN A MICROSEISMIC MONITORING NETWORK AND VARIOUS SOFTWARES WRITTEN FOR MICROCOMPUTERS AND USABLE ON MINE SITE, ACHIEVING THE LOCALIZATION OF THE HYPOCENTERS OF THE SEISMIC PULSES, THE NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE DISSOLUTION PROCESS AND, BY MEANS OF THE F.E.M. THE CALCULUS OF THE STRESSES AND DISPLACEMENTS INDUCED IN THE SURROUNDING MEDIA.
A system has been developed to control the evolution of the cavities which are created during solution mining in order to ensure maximum safety of mining operations and to optimize the leaching procedure. Innovation methods have been developed for simulating leaching.
Research was conducted in 2 phases, firstly, analysis of the problems leading to the definition of specific and general parameters, and secondly, sampling and analysis of data on the geostructural and geomechanical features and grades, leading to the definition of a geometrical grades model.
The aim of this research project was to control the evolution of the cavities formed during the solution mining process of the brine field. The control was achieved by means of a modelization of the system, that is its geometry, of rocksalt grades and of geotechnical, seismic, rheological and leaching parameters. The simulation of the system allowed the design of the best method for the exploitation of the brine field and for the verifications of the production rate, of the safety conditions and of the environmental impact.
The practical results of this study are fully exploited during mining operations for starting and control of single well leaching and for monitoring of subsidence. Leaching cavities have been designed with the aim of leaving a pillar and a slab in the rocksalt so that, having taken the rock's mechanical parameters into account, the stability of the cover of soil is assured. Temperatures, flows, pressures, pumps working times and stocks values collected during 3 shifts are recorded in a database. Approximately 600 data items are inserted daily into a personal computer and processed and periodical reports are printed. This procedure is a very efficient method for controlling quality and quantity of production, single well cavity impermeability and sodium chloride grade of the growing cavities.
In addition to precision levelling to measure surface subsidence, inclinometric measurements to monitor slope stability, chemical analyses of surface and underground water to control pollution, the microseismic monitoring system is continuously working, and recorded data are processed every 3 months. The complex system under control (the orebody, the covering soils, the cavities by the leaching process, the brine still in the underground) is reaching, with the new exploitation method, a situation of dynamic equilibrium which seems to be stable due to the absence of a paroxysmal phenomena. The spatial analysis of the energy measured by the peripheral units o f the monitoring system clearly shows that microseismic signals can be related to exploitation activity.
THE MAIN STAGES OF THE RESEARCH WORK WILL BE THE FOLLOWING :
1) SAMPLING AND PROCESSING OF THE GEOSTRUCTURAL, ORE GRADE AND GEOMECHANICAL DATA
2) DEFINITION, BY MEANS OF THE GEOSTATISTICAL METHODS OF THE GRADE SPATIAL STRUCTURE ACCORDING TO THE SAMPLED DATA.
3) NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE DISSOLUTION PROCESS.
4) NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE STRESSES AND DISPLACEMENTS FIELDS.
5) DESIGN, ASSEMBLING AND INSTALLATION OF THE MICROSEISMIC MONITORING NETWORK.
6) SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION TO LOCALIZE THE HYPOCENTERS OF THE SEISMIC PULSES.
7) COMPARISON OF THE OUTPUTS FROM DISSOLUTION, GEOMETRICAL AND SEISMIC MODELS WITH RECORDED DATA FROM MONITORING NETWORK.
8) FURTHER CONTROLS BY MEANS OF OTHER INVESTIGATIONS
IT MAY BE EXPECTED FROM THIS RESEARCH WORK AN IMPROVEMENT OF THE KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD OF SOLUTION MINING, A BETTER CONTROL OF THE SHAPE OF THE UNDERGROUND CAVERNS CREATED BY THIS METHOD OF MINING, ENSURING CONSEQUENTLY BETTER SAFETY CONDITIONS AND AVOIDING DAMAGE TO THE MINE AND ITS ENVIRONMENT BY PREVENTING SUBSIDENCE OR SINK HOLE PHENOMENA. FROM AN ECONOMIC POINT OF VIEW, AN INCREASE OF PRODUCTIVITY AND THE OPTIMIZATION OF THE ORE RECOVERY WILL BE PROBABLY A CONSEQUENCE OF THIS WORK.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences software
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry alkali metals
- social sciences economics and business economics production economics productivity
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences environmental sciences pollution
- natural sciences mathematics pure mathematics geometry
You need to log in or register to use this function
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Data not available
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Data not available
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
20100 Milano
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.