Recent rehabilitation project experience has shown that developing an overall property
rehabilitation strategy that considers all of the physical mine hazards on a site or in an
area can have cost saving benefits and technical efficiencies. Optimizing the
rehabilitation strategy for all hazards with all disciplines means avoiding duplication of
cost and effort as described in the example above. In addition, by assessing and
applying innovative rehabilitation methods, such as the use of pre-cast concrete in
remote areas or with challenging hazards or the use of newer products, such as foam,
the rehabilitation strategy becomes a targeted specific plan for that site and not a one-size-
fits-all solution, which can lead to higher costs.
This paper will discuss the process of developing a rehabilitation strategy and options
focused on near surface crown pillars and mine openings to surface.
Closure of physical mine hazards generally progresses in five phases. This allows for
use of existing data to complete preliminary assessments and plan the investigations,
which are then used to develop the rehabilitation plan. The five phases are:
- Phase 1 – collection and review of historical data
- Phase 2 – preliminary desktop studies
- Phase 3 – physical investigation, assessments, and rehabilitation planning
- Phase 4 – implementation of the rehabilitation solution
- Phase 5 – monitoring