Novel technologies for deep sustainable mining

该提案遵循申请人之前的发现补助金，旨在解决加拿大采矿业在未来深度采矿中面临的技术挑战。重点将继续放在创新、HQP的产生以及可持续发展的经济和社会意义上。为了使加拿大采矿业保持其全球竞争力，它需要不断创新和自动化。由主要矿业利益相关者举行的一些论坛得出的结论是，需要“未来矿山的改变游戏规则的技术”。本建议的重点是研究可持续深部采矿的自动化、连续采矿系统的基础，称为“钻孔和充填”采矿。本研究计划涉及三个综合和跨学科的重点研究重点，如下：主题1)岩石预处理，优化硬岩石的连续机械破碎：重点是在岩石切割盘攻击之前削弱岩石（或降低其强度）。在没有高效耐磨的圆盘切削材料的情况下，这将提高生产率并降低钻头更换成本。微波能量的应用（能够通过差热引起微裂纹，从而扩大）是一项具有潜在重要应用价值的技术，不仅适用于新开发的连续采矿挖掘机，也适用于全工作面掘进。***主题2)矿山充填技术：旨在开发用于“钻孔-充填”采矿的超强矿山充填体（SSMF）。为了保证围岩的稳定，将该SSMF放入并填充钻孔岩体空间。此外，它将解决高硫化物矿物含量的回填中的自热问题，特别是磁黄铁矿，它可以迅速氧化并引起自热。由于自热可能导致地下危险情况，并可能导致矿山关闭，本研究主题将继续探讨其过程和缓解方法。***主题3)可再生能源在采矿作业中的应用：重点是开发从地下钻孔和充填采场提取地热能的新技术。这将通过一种新的模拟代码、物理建模以及在Vale Sudbury矿区进行的地下试验来优化。地下矿井的这一概念可以在矿井寿命期间和最终关闭后持续产生相当数量的地热能。这种可再生和廉价的热回收将为当地矿山社区的可持续发展发展新的当地企业。***长期而言，拟议的三个相互关联的研究主题旨在为突破性技术铺平道路，从而提高加拿大采矿业的可持续性和竞争力。

This proposal follows the applicant's previous Discovery Grant in aiming to address technical challenges that the Canadian mining industry is facing in future mining at depth. Emphasis will continue to be given to innovation, generation of HQP and the economic and social significance of sustainable development. In order for the Canadian mining industry to maintain its global competitiveness, it continuously needs to innovate and automate .The conclusion made by a number of forums, held by major mining stake holders was that there is a need for “game changer technologies for mines of the future”. This proposal focuses on research fundamental to the development of automated, continuous mining systems for sustainable deep mining, termed “Bore and Fill” mining. This research program addresses three integrated and interdisciplinary key research priorities, as follows: ***Theme1) Rock pre-conditioning for optimizing continuous mechanical breakage of hard rocks: This focuses on weakening the rock (or lowering its strength) prior to attack by rock cutting discs. This, in the absence of efficient and wear resistant disc cutting material, will increase production rates and reduce bit replacement costs. The application of microwave energy (capable of inducing micro cracks through differential heating and therefore expansion) is a technology with potentially significant application not only to newly developed continuous mining excavators but also for full face tunneling application.***Theme2) Mine backfill technology: This aims at the development of a Super-Strength Mine Fill (SSMF) for “Bore and Fill” mining. This SSMF will be placed into and fill the bored rock space for stability of the surrounding rock mass. Furthermore, it will address the issue of self-heating in backfills with high of sulphide mineral content, particularly pyrrhotite, which can oxidise rapidly and cause self-heating. As self-heating can lead to dangerous situations underground with the potential for mine closure, this research theme will continue to address its processes and its mitigation methods.***Theme3) Application of renewable energy in mining operations: This focuses on the development of novel techniques for extraction of geothermal energy from underground bored and filled stopes. This will be optimized by a novel simulation code, physical modelling, as well as pilot underground field trials at Vale Sudbury mine sites. This concept in underground mines can sustainably produce considerable amounts of geothermal energy during the mine life and after its eventual closure. This renewable and inexpensive heat recovery will develop new local businesses for the sustainability of the local mine communities.***In the long term, the proposed three inter-related research themes are intended to pave the way for breakthrough technologies which will improve the sustainability and competitiveness of the Canadian mining industry.