Mine Back Filling

Geo-Mechanics & Back Filling

Mandate of The Research Group:

To conduct research and development in the field of Geo-Mechanics & Back Filling to determine various physico-mechanical properties of rock, promote safe ground support methods and technologies, ground control solutions for mining industry including stowing and paste filling.

Model study for stowing (physical simulation)

Numerical simulation of U/G working with backfilling

Numerical simulation of Opencast working with backfilling

Estimation of Rock Load Height by Numerical Models

Design of Support system with Roof bol

Triaxial test setup

Young’s and Poisson’s ratio test setup

Section 1: Mine Back Filling

Important Achievements of the Section:

Department received National Award for carrying out R & D for use of fly ash for stowing of underground mines, jointly awarded by Ministry of Power, Ministry of Environment & Forest and Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India.

Section 2: Geo-Mechanics

Important Achievements of the Section:

Introduction of Resin bolting as a system of support in Indian coal mines.
Successful completion of design of support system with Resin grouted rock bolts in all the mines of South Eastern Coal field limited (SECL).
Successful elimination of goaf edge support with Resin grouted rock bolts in depillaring panels of Singareni Company Collieries Limited (SCCL) which reduced the chance of underground accidents due to loosening of cog support.
Publication of 5 research papers in International Journal (SCI -3, Scopus -1, Other -1).
Successful completion of one project in MCL on chair lift man transporting system which will increase the efficiency of mine official as well as workers which would directly affect the production cost of the mine.
Successful instrumentation work from last 10 years at Jitpur mine, IISCO to assess the roof convergence for better safety and productivity of the mine.
Successful completion of more than 150 research projects related to Rock Mass Characterisation , Support Design and Stability analysis for underground coal mines.

Section 3: Rock Mechanics Laboratory

Important Achievements of the Section:

From the year 2000 to till date nearly 128 nos. of projects have been successfully conducted for various agencies.
Conducted Insitu investigations such as Direct shear test for rock to rock and rock to concrete, Plate load test, Flat jack test, Hydrofracture test for insitu rock mass properties at different location of Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Project (HEP) & Middle Siang HEP of Arunachal Pradesh, Teesta IV & V HEP of Sikkim, Nimo Bazgo HEP, at Pakal Dul HEP & URI HEP of Jammu & Kashmir.
Laboratory investigation for borehole rock core samples were carried out to understand the characteristics of intact rock formations mostly from coal measure formations.
Most of these projects are related to study of rock mechanical properties for design of different surface/underground structures of short, medium and long term stability, for safe and cost-effective extraction of coal/metal/non-metal from underground or from surface pits, for Coal bed methane projects etc.

Section 4: Non Conventional Gases

Investigation on methane emission for categorisation of degree of gassiness of coal seams having belowground workings, Prediction of specific gas emission in belowground mine workings, fugitive emission to the atmosphere from coal mining and handling activities and oil and natural gas systems, evaluation of coalbed methane and shale gas resources in virgin coal/lignite/shale blocks, construction of high pressure adsorption isotherm at reservoir temperature for determination of recoverable gas resource, surface area, pore size and pore volume, petrographic, mineralogical and reflectance studies, CBM reservoir simulation, coal mine methane, ventilation air methane geo-sequestration of CO₂, baseline study on carbon foot print of coal mines, underground coal gasification.

Important achievements of the department :

Investigation on methane emission from coal seams for classification of degree of gassiness has been carried out for more than 100 underground coal mines in India. A mathematical model has been developed for prediction of specific emission from seam being worked and enclosing strata into mine workings. The model is being extensively used for prediction of methane emission in prospecting mines.

Methodology and national emission factors have been developed for estimation of fugitive methane emission from coal mining and handling activities. Prepared estimates of fugitive methane emission from coal, oil and natural gas systems for India’s Initial and Second National Communications and Biennial Update Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

A set up has been developed by this group for determination of in-situ gas content of coal/lignite/shale core samples by the “Direct Method”. It is comprised of desorption apparatus, desorption canister and grinding apparatus. A format to record borehole/well location, various parameters related to core drilling and recovery and gas desorption volume with time elapsed, canister temperature and ambient pressure and temperature has been prepared. An excel spread-sheet has been developed for computation of desorbed gas volume at NTP or STP, desorption curves and sorption time. Facilities for determination of highpressure adsorption isotherm of coal/shale at reservoir temperature, quality analysis of coal and shale gases, chemical and petrological properties of coal/shale core samples have been developed through external funding such as UNDP, DST, USEPA and CIL. This section has investigated more than 250 boreholes and about 20 CBM wells. On the basis of CIMFR study, 33 CBM blocks have been awarded to gas producing companies in four rounds by Directorate General of Hydrocarbon (DGH), New Delhi. Technical inputs for commercial development of CBM projects have been given to almost all CBM producing companies such as ONGC, GEECL and Essar Oil Limited.

At present this section has two ongoing S&T projects sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Coal, and one network project on Underground Coal Gasification.

Name	Designation	Email & phone
Head of the Research Group
Dr. C. N. Ghosh	Chief Scientist, HORG Research Group: Mine Back Filling	E-mail : cngcmri[at]yahoo[dot]com Phone : 0326-296004/5, Extn: 4266 (O), 9934556098 (M)
Section 1: Mine Back Filling
Mr. Prashant	Principal Scientist Research Group: Mine Back Filling	E-mail : prashantcmri[at]yahoo[dot]com Phone : +91-326-296004/5, Extn: 4316 (O), 09431377071 (M)
Mr. Santosh Kumar Behera	Scientist Research Group: Mine Back Filling	E-mail : skb[at]cimfr[dot]nic[dot]in, skbcimfr[at]yahoo[dot]com Phone : 0326-296004/5 (O), 8986760221 (M)
Mr. Phanil Kumar Mandal	Pr. Technical Officer Research Group: Mine Back Filling	E-mail : pkm_cimfr[at]yahoo[dot]com, phanilkm[at]cimfr[dot]nic[dot]in Phone : 326- 296004/5, Extn: 4316 (O), 9431724185 (M)
Mr. Kanhaiya Mishra	Techncial Officer (III)	E-mail : kanhaiya5467[at]gmail[dot]com Phone : +91 85075 46268
Mr. Prem Prakash Singh	Sr. Technician (1)	E-mail : ppsingh[at]cimfr[dot]nic[dot]in Phone : +91 96083 88240

6 Results

Sl. No.	A brief description of Facilities/ Equipment/Tools/software with photos
Section 1: Mine Back Filling
1	Laboratory facility to determine Physico-mechanical properties of back fill material. Numerical modelling software (PLAXIS-3D) for stability analysis of back filled working. Instrumentation and monitoring of backfilled/stowed panel in underground Mines. Technology for filling coal ash in underground and opencast coal mines. Technology of utilizing granulated slag, crushed and washed overburden etc as a filling material. Paste fill material preparation facility. Mastersizer 3000 for Particle Size Analysis Model Study for Stowing
Section 2: Geo-Mechanics
1
Section 3: Rock Mechanics Laboratory
1	Facilities for conducting different laboratory physico-mechanical properties of rock core samples such as Geological Logging, RQD, Density, Porosity, Moisture content, Water absorption, Slake Durability Index, Compressive Strength, Tensile Strength, Direct Shear, Triaxial Strength, Young’s Modulus, Poisson’s Ratio, Point load Index, P & S wave velocity, Protodyakonov index, Mechanical properties of Conveyor belts etc.

Sl. No.	Name	Sponsor	Duration	Objective	Major output(if any)
Section 1: Mine Back Filling
1	Advice during Field Experimentation of ash stowing at SRP 3 & 3A Mine	SCCL	12 Months	Study for suitability of utilisation of coal ash for stowing at SRP 3 & 3A
2	Monitoring of backfilling with overburden and pond ash in open cast mines of JSPL	JSPL	48 Months	Studies for data collection and monitoring of benches to enhance safety and for environment friendly disposal of coal ash in opencast mines. Laboratory investigation to monitor pond ash filling in admixture with overburden at their captive mines included carrying out field investigation with respect to air quality monitoring, monitoring of sub-surface aquifers, hydrometeorology, ground water flow pattern, water quality in the core and buffer zone of the mine.
3	Design of Stowing Plant for SECL Underground Mine for Ash Stowing with Ash from Korba Super Thermal Power Station, NTPC	NTPC	3	Study on Design of Stowing Plant for SECL Underground Mine for Ash Stowing
4	Scientific study on coal ash dumping at opencast mine of Sarguja Power Private Limited	SPPL	9 Months	Suitability studies on coal ash sample as an opencast backfill material and to provide the design guidelines for environment friendly dumping of coal ash in admixture with overburden at the nearby captive open cast coal mine.
5	Suitability studies on coal ash from RSTPS –NTPC, Jarangdih- CCL, HWP- Manugure for filling of coal mines	NTPC	6 Months	Suitability studies on coal ash sample as a backfill material.
6	Advice during field experimentation of ash stowing at GDK-1& 3 Incline	SCCL	12 Months	Field studies during ash stowing operations at GDK – 1&3 mines of SCCL regarding various ash stowing parameters.
7	Rock mechanic instrumentation, Stability analysis and strata monitoring for depillaring with stowing at Goleti-1A mine of Bellampalli Area and 4SS-2B panel of 4 seam at GDK 10 Inline, SCCL	SCCL	24 Months	Rock mechanic instrumentation, Stability analysis and strata monitoring for depillaring with stowing.
8	Advice on leaving protection pillar for air shaft during depillaring with stowing at GDK 1 & 3 Incline, SCCL	SCCL	2 Months	Stability analysis of protection pillar left around air shaft during depillaring with stowing at GDK 1 & 3 Incline, SCCL
9	Advice during field experimentation of ash stowing at GDK-1& 3 Incline, SCCL	SCCL	12 Months	Field trail of ash stowing at GDK-1& 3 Incline, SCCL
10	Advice on the use of bottom ash for underground stowing at RK - 7 Incline, SCCL	SCCL	24	Advice on the use of bottom ash for underground stowing and field studies during ash stowing operations at RK - 7 Incline, SCCL regarding various ash stowing parameters.
11	Advice on the use of ash from, KTPS korba for underground Stowing at SECL Mines	CSEB, Chattisgarh	6 Months	Feasibility study on utilisation of ash for underground Stowing at SECL Mines
12	Advice on Assessment of Stability for an underground part of NH – 2 near Dalmia at Salanpur area of ECL for implementation of Raniganj Master Plan	ECL	6 Months	Identification of exact void location from surface, depth of void from surface, Stability of parting and safety factor, characteristics of the roof rocks in the void area.
13	Techno Economic feasibility Study of Stowing with proper material in Seam II and Seam III during depillaring in Gare Palma IV/4 and IV/5 Underground Coal Mines of HIL	HINDALCO	12 Months	To study the feasibility of using bottom ash as filling material at Gare Palma IV/4 and IV/5 Underground Coal Mines with depillaring by hydraulic stowing
14	Preparation and evaluation of paste fills for mine backfilling for m/s Hindustan zinc limited	HZL	6 Months	Preparation and evaluation of paste fills for mine backfilling
Section 2: Geo-Mechanics
1	Advice on design of support system for Chanda Rayatwari colliery, Chandrapur Area, WCL.	WCL	1 Year	1. Geotechnical studies 2. Characterisation of roof rock. 3. Design of suitable support system.	Extraction of coal would be possible in more safer and economical way.
2	Advice on stability analysis of NH-2 near Dalmia at Salanpur Area, ECL	ECL	6 Months	Identification of exact void location from surface, depth of void from surface, Stability of parting and safety factor, characteristics of the roof rocks in the void area.	Stability of the NH-2 will be assessed with desired factor of safety. This would further help the country as well as the locality as NH-2 is the life line of the country.
3	Advice on design of support for installation of Pulley Station of Man Riding Chair Lift System for transportation in Sijua Colliery, Jharia Division, Tata Steel Limited	Tata Steel	6 Months	1. Rock Mass Classification of the mine drift and gallery. 2. To estimate the rock load height and rock load empirically for the same. 3. To estimate the rock load height and rock load numerically i.e. from numerical models. 4. To design suitable support system for the man riding gallery of IX seam as well as for drift. 5. To suggest the appropriate man riding system for drift and gallery of IX seam workings.	This study help mine management for installation of main riding chair lift system for transportation of mining official and workers which will save time of travelling and also on the another hand , increase the working efficiency of mining people.
4	Advice on stability analysis and support design of two inclines at Sial Ghogri mine , Chhindwara, M.P.	Reliance Cement Company Pvt. Ltd	6 Months	Design of support system with resin bolts based on geotechnical studies of roof rocks.	Mine management would able to extract coal with proper safety and productivity.
5	Advice on design of support for development workings at Sial Ghogri mine , Chhindwara, M.P.	Reliance Cement Company Pvt. Ltd	6 Months	Design of support system with resin bolts based on geotechnical studies of roof rocks	Mine management would able to extract coal with proper safety and productivity.
Section 3: Rock Mechanics Laboratory
1	Geo-technical studies of rock core sample of BH# CMTL-486 of Lingaraj block, Talcher Coalfield, Odisha and advice there of	MECL	3 Month	To determine Compressive strength of coal and Rock Cores and advice after statistical analysis of data.
2	Geotechnical investigation on selected rock core sample of BH# KBH-03, KBH-4A and KBH-07 from Koina Project, Karad, Satara (Maharashtra)	BGRL, Karad	1 Year	Determination of UCS, P & S Wave velocity, Elastic and Triaxial properties of granite core samples to study the reservoir triggred seismicity in Koyna-Warna region.
3	Geotechnical investigation to evaluate strength charecteristics of rock core samples from BH# MPRG-12 of Pahardia Block, Distt.- Shighbhum(East), Jharkhand	MECL	6 Month	Rock mechanical property determination from borehole rock samples for Gold mining.
4	Geotechnical investigation to evaluate strength charecteristics of rock core samples of three borehole for ground stability study of proposed MGR alignment, OPGC over u/g coal mine workings in Orient area of MCL, Odisha	OPGC, Bhubaneswar	2 Year	laboratory investigation on borehole rock core samples for determination and statistical analysis of different rock mechanical properties.
5	Geotechnical investigation to evaluate strength charecteristics of rock core samples from Patal East Coal Block of BH # MPBE-13 & 52 in South Karanpura Coal Field, Distt. Ramgarh, Jharkhand and advice there of	MECL	1 Year	Determination and statistical analysis of different rock mechanical properties for coal mining.
6	Geotechnical investigation of borehole rock core samples of footwall, ore body and hangwall to evaluate different physico-mechanical properties, Matun Mines, Hindustan Zinc Ltd	HZL	1 Year	Rock properties required for conventional shovel dumper combination with 10m bench height at Matun Rock phosphate Mines.
7	Geotechnical investigation to evaluate strength charecteristics of rock core samples from BH# 2N of Banhardi Coal Block, Latehar, Jharkhand	Department of Mines & Geology, Ranchi	1 Year	Rock mechanical properties required for exploitation of coal from Banhardi coal block.
8	Geotechnical investigation to evaluate strength charecteristics of rock core samples from BH# TJU/216/12 of Jamadoba Colliery, Tata Steel Limited	NRD, Jharia, Jamadoba, Dist. Dhanbad	3 Month	laboratory investigation on borehole rock core samples for determination and statistical analysis of different rock mechanical properties.
9	Geotechnical investigation to evaluate strength charecteristics of rock core samples from BH# 153 & E4-UD-59 of Shankar load and Durga load of the Nuasahi Chromite Mines of IMFA Ltd	IMFA	6 Month	To determine physico-mechanical properties of Chromite ore, body/wall rocks of Shankar & Durga load as a part of their study to determine the optimum thickness of the Crown/Rib pillar for the stopes
10	Rock Mechanics investigation to evaluate strength behaviour of rock cores of Total CBM Solutions India Pvt. Ltd.	Total CBM Solutions India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi	6 Month	Determination of UCS & Elastic properties in dry and saturated condition for their study for CBM exploration.
11	Geotechnical investigations to evaluate strength charectyeristics of rock core samples from Sitarampur Coal Block, JSW Natural Resources India Limited, and advice there of	JSW Natural Resource India Ltd., Kolkata	1 Year	Determination and statistical analysis of different rock mechanical properties of different borehole rock formations for coal mining.
12	Advice on geotechnical investigations of Ichhapur Coal Block, JSW Natural Resources Bengal Limited, Kolkata	JSW Natural Resource Bengal Ltd., Kolkata	6 Month	Determination and statistical analysis of different rock mechanical properties of different borehole rock formations for coal mining
13	Geotechnical logging to assess Rock Quality Designation of Six (06) boreholes & Geo-technical investigation to evaluate different rock mechanics properties of one borehole of the Raniganj measures at the Trans-Damodar Sector, Coal Block	Trans-Damodar Coal Mining (PVT) Ltd., Kolkata	2 Year	RQD and laboratory physico-mechanical property determination along with statistical analysis for borehole rock measure formations
14	Geotechnical Investigation to evaluate strengthCharacteristics of rock cores of BH # MMT-85 & 95 from Gare-Pelma sector-II coal block, Maha Tamil project in Mand-Raigarh coalfield, Chattishgarh	MECL	1 Year	To investigate different physico-mechanical properties of two borehole rock/coal samples as a part of detailed exploration work.
15	Geotechnical investigation to evaluate strengthcharecteristics of borehole rock cores (BH # 01 LW) from Moonidih Mine, W.J. area of BCCL	VP (Mining), Indu Projects Ltd., Hyderabad	4 Month	To investigate different physico-mechanical properties of borehole rock/coal samples for Longwall mining
16	Geo-technical investigation to evaluate differentphysico-mechanical properties of borehole rock samples of BH#MGP-50 from Gare Pelma Block, Mand Raigarh Coalfield, Chattishgarh	MECL	3 Month	Determination and statistical analysis of different rock mechanical properties of different borehole rock formations for coal mining.
17	Geo-technical investigation to evaluate differentphysico-mechanical properties of rock samples from Kuri-Gongri Hydro-Electric Project, Gyelposhing, Bhutan and advice there of	Kuri-Gongri HEP Gyelposhing, Bhutan	3 Month	Determination of physico-mechanical properties of Quartzite & Dolomite core samples
18	Rock Mechanics investigation to evaluate strength behaviour of rock cores of BH# AKP-01, Kapuria Block from AMR-BBB Consortium, Kamalapuri Colony, Hyderabad	AMR-BBB Consortium, Hyderabad	1 Month	To determine physico-mechanical properties of borehole rocks as a part of their study of mine development and mass production of coal by using Longwall Mechanization.
19	Geo-technical investigation to evaluate different physico-mechanical properties of borehole rock samples from Seregarha Block of the North Karanpura Coalfield between Karimati block in the east & Ganeshpur block in the west.	Arcelor Mittal India Ltd.	1 Year	Determination and statistical analysis of different rock mechanical properties of different borehole rock formations for coal mining.
20	Geo-technical investigation to evaluate different physico-mechanical properties of borehole rock samples of BH#MCL04, MCL08 of Mahan Coal Limited, Singrauli	Mahan Coal Limited, Singrauli	1 Year	To investigate different physico-mechanical properties of borehole rock/coal samples for coal mining.
21	Geo-technical investigation to evaluate different physico-mechanical properties of borehole rock samples of BH#JAR-45 from Rajbar Coal Block, Auranga Coal field, Latehar, Jharkhand and advice there of.	Dpt. of Mines & Geology, Hzaribagh	1 Year	Rock mechanical properties required for exploitation of coal from Banhardi coal block.
22	Geo-technical investigation to evaluate different physico-mechanical properties of borehole rock samples of BH#JAR-65 from Rajbar Coal Block, Auranga Coal field, Latehar, Jharkhand and advice there of.	Dpt. of Mines & Geology, Hzaribagh	1 Year	To determine physico-mechanical properties of borehole rocks as a part of their study of mine development and coal production.
23	Geo-technical investigation to evaluate strength charecteristics rock core samples from BH # MGP-140, MGP-181 of Gare-Pelma (Sector-1) block of Mand Raigarh coalfield, Chattishgarh	CMDC	1 Year	To determine physico-mechanical properties of borehole rocks as a part of their study of mine development and coal production
24	Geotechnical investigation to evaluate strength charecteristics of rock core samples from Sitarampr & Kulti Block, JSW Natural Resources India Ltd., Bhurdwan W.B. and advice there	JSW Natural Resource Bengal Ltd., Kolkata	1 Year	Determination and statistical analysis of different rock mechanical properties of different borehole rock formations for coal mining.
25	Geo-technical investigation to evaluate different physico-mechanical properties of borehole rock samples from Andal East Coal Block near Andal in Raniganj Coal Field, Burdwan, West Bengal and advice there of	Andal East Coal Company Private Limited, Kolkata	6 Month	To determine physico-mechanical properties of borehole rocks as a part of their study of mine development and coal production.
26	Geotechnical investigation to evaluate strength characteristics of rock core samples from Ichapur Block, JSW Natural Resources Bengal, Burdwan, W. B. and advice there of.	JSW Bengal Steel Limited, Kolkata	1 Year	Determination and statistical analysis of different rock mechanical properties of different borehole rock formations for coal mining
27	Geotechnical investigation to evaluate strength characteristics of rock cores from Jagannathpur Block A and Block B, Chandi Steel Industries Ltd., Durgapur, W. B. and advice thereof.	Chandi Steel Industries Ltd., Kolkata	1 Year	Determination and statistical analysis of different rock mechanical properties of different borehole rock formations for coal mining
28	Field Rock mechanics investigation pertaining to Rock Quality Designation of 42 boreholes of Jagannathpur Block A & Block B, North of Durgapur for Chandi Steel Industries Ltd., West Bengal and advice thereof.	Chandi Steel Industries Ltd., Kolkata	6 Months	To determine physico-mechanical properties of borehole rocks as a part of their study of mine development and coal production
29	Characterisation of rocks in five boreholes at dam axis of subansiri lower HE project for dam design, gerukamukh, assam	NHPC	2 Year	To evaluate the physico-mechanical properties in the laboratory and in-situ permeability.

48 Results