KGHM : ziemia się trzęsie…

The rock burst that occurred on November 29, 2016, in the "Rudna” copper mine has had tragic consequences. Eight miners were killed in the heavy machinery compartment located in the safest area of the safety pillar. This is not the first accident of its kind. It was caused by the collapse of the overlying anhydrite layer that is approximately 200 m thick in this region. The mining operation is based on the room and pillar system that results in stress accumulation within the anhydrite layer, which, at some time, causes a rock burst. The best method to prevent this phenomenon is the use of backfill. The entire mined surface of a deposit is greater than 100 square kilometres. Such amounts of sands are not stored within the mines. It is therefore necessary to carry out operations to adapt more than 1 billion tonnes of tailings accumulated in the "Żelazny Most” reservoir to the needs of backfilling of mine workings. The widespread use of hardened backfill should prevent such great rock bursts in copper mines.