Stability and Design Considerations for Underground Mine Openings and Pillars

Yearly safety inspection has highlighted the importance of implementing effective mine planning, expanding acoustic emission monitoring, and utilizing 3D underground scanning with LiDAR.The standard width and height of mine openings recommended in previous research are 12 and 7-8 m, respectively, to ensure safety.Both empirical and numerical analyses for a test mine indicated that mine openings should be 12-15 m wide and 7-9 m high and that vertical pillars should be 7-9 m tall.For multilevel developments, the vertical spacing between levels should be at least 20 m.Increasing the width-to-height ratio increases safety, and developing main roadways parallel to the maximum horizontal stress and offsetting cross-cuts is beneficial.Strategic approaches are necessary to maximize resource recovery and conduct comprehensive studies on the creep behavior of rock mass and ground subsidence issues for future mine closure.