Design and implementation of cemented rockfill at the Ballarat Gold Project

Cemented rockfill (CRF) has been implemented at the Ballarat Gold Project to allow pillarless recovery of the narrow vein gold deposit. The stoping extraction strategy requires both vertical and horizontal CRF exposures to remain stable and prevent excessive dilution. This paper outlines a program of initial laboratory testing and numerical modelling to ensure safe and efficient CRF exposure design. A novel numerical modelling approach has been developed to accurately simulate the particulate nature of CRF material. The stability of CRF exposures have been determined by conducting a series of three-dimensional numerical models that incorporate extraction, filling and the exposure sequence of the CRF filled stopes.