Rock Mechanics Testing Of Large Diameter Core At The Crandon Deposit

In late 1980, Exxon Minerals Company performed rock mechanics testing on oriented 150 mm drill core from their 75Fi tonne massive sulfide deposit near Crandon, Wisconsin. Instrumented samples from depths of 300 meters indicate premining horizontal stresses in a north-south direction (parallel to pillar faces) to average 12,300 kPa, with the perpendicular plane yielding an average stress of 14,630 kPa. Rock strength versus sample size was compared using uniaxial compressive strengths from 47 mm, 95 mm and 150 mm core. Massive sulfide averaged 153,300 kPa, 139,845 kPa and 75,330 kPa respectively, while the hanging wall and foot- wall averaged 92,000 kPa, 76,560 kPa and 57,960 kPa respectively. Point load compressive strengths were calculated using formula suggested by both Hassani et al., 1980 and Broch et al., 1972. Values calculated using the Hassani formula closely resembled pre- existing point load and uniaxial compressive strengths, while values calculated using the Broch formula were 50 percent low.