Communicating Geological Engineering Results to Manage Slope Instability

"This paper describes a case study that illustrates how detailed geological engineering results were communicated to address a range of stability challenges in a producing mining environment. Instead of using standard geological engineering terminology, findings and recommendations were communicated as mine design options and mining responses to accommodate possible slope instabilities and associated risk. The resulting medium- to long-range mine plan integrated the potential slope instabilities and associated mining responses to provide a higher probability of planned resource extraction. It also reduced the potential for long-lasting production and processing delays.RÉSUMÉ Cet article décrit une étude de cas illustrant l’intérêt de la communication de résultats détaillés de géologie appliquée pour résoudre un éventail de difficultés relatives à la stabilité dans un environnement minier en production. Plutôt que d’utiliser une terminologie classique de géologie appliquée, les résultats et les recommandations ont été communiqués sous forme d’options pour la conception d’une mine et de réponses dans le contexte minier permettant de surmonter les éventuelles instabilités des pentes et les risques associés. Le plan de mine sur le moyen à long terme qui a résulté intégrait les instabilités potentielles des pentes ainsi que les réponses connexes dans le contexte minier afin de renforcer la probabilité de l’extraction des ressources prévue. Il réduisait également la possibilité de retards durables dans la production et le traitement.INTRODUCTIONSlope failures in an active mining operation are unscheduled but expected events, in the sense that the geotechnical design often assumes the potential for slope failure but cannot predict exactly when a failure will occur. Unfortunately, the geotechnical engineering cycle—characterization, slope design, displacement monitoring, instability management, and failure remediation—that is necessary to manage slope-failure risk is not always well known or understood outside the geotechnical engineering profession. The first introduction many personnel have to geotechnical engineering is when a slope failure starts to develop and appears to threaten the safety and livelihood of their workplace.At that point, the task of communicating the risk management of slope failure falls to the geotechnical engineer, who must summarize analytical methodology, design concepts, monitoring trends, and analysis results, frequently to an audience with limited exposure to the geotechnical field. All too often, the response has been to present a risk-management plan in the vernacular of geological engineering— using terms such as factor of safety (FOS), pore-pressure reduction, and slope unloading—instead of expressing the problem and solution in more readily understood mine production terms."