Safety Assurance System and Technical Practices for Deep Gold Mining

Deep gold mining constitutes a technology-intensive project with multiple risks. The complexity of geological conditions, hazards of extreme environments, and stringent technical requirements underscore the importance of establishing a comprehensive safety assurance system and selecting appropriate mining technologies.

Risks encountered in deep mining—including dynamic hazards, rock pressure control, high temperatures and pressures, and gas threats—not only impact mining efficiency but directly threaten personnel safety, property security, and ecological stability. Therefore, constructing a comprehensive safety assurance system encompassing “technology selection - process monitoring - risk prevention and control” has become the core task for deep gold mining.

At the technology selection level, the application of the pre-controlled roof sectional post-mining backfilling method lays a solid foundation for safe mining. Through scientific design of the mining area structure, this method employs reinforced backfill walls combined with anchor-shotcrete mesh reinforcement technology, effectively enhancing mining area stability and preventing rock bursts and subsidence risks in the goaf. Its staged backfilling process utilizes waste rock from mining combined with cemented backfill, reducing both backfilling costs and the ecological impact of waste residue discharge. The application of medium-deep hole rockfall control technology has decreased the number of underground working faces, lowering personnel exposure to hazardous environments and further enhancing operational safety.

Innovative process monitoring technologies provide technical support for safety assurance. Based on rock dynamics theory, comprehensive pre-construction surveys employed 3D laser scanning, microseismic monitoring, and borehole TV to investigate underground rock stress-deformation characteristics and structural models. This collected fundamental rock data and simulated the impacts of different mining methods and extraction sequences on surrounding environments, enabling prediction of structural instability states. The combined use of photogrammetry and 3D laser scanning constructed a full-spatial-scale 3D geological visualization model. This precisely captured rock structure plane information, including key parameters such as strike, dip angle, and dip direction, providing scientific basis for construction planning.

Enhanced risk prevention systems further fortified safety defenses. Addressing high-temperature, high-pressure, and gas hazards in deep mining, the underground ventilation system was optimized. Personnel and equipment location tracking and fault inspection frequencies were increased, and a real-time monitoring mechanism for the underground environment was established, effectively reducing safety risks posed by toxic gases and extreme conditions. In ecological conservation, rational backfilling techniques and waste residue management plans minimized impacts on groundwater systems and ecosystems surrounding the mining area. Simultaneously, scientific mining planning prevented surface subsidence from damaging nearby structures and infrastructure.

The practice of deep mining at a gold mine demonstrates that by adopting the pre-controlled roof segmental post-mining backfilling method as the core technology, combined with rock dynamics analysis, 3D visualization monitoring, and comprehensive risk prevention measures, a robust safety assurance system has been established. Over the six months since implementation, no safety incidents have occurred. Ore metal content reached 132.818 kg, with a significant increase in resource recovery rate, achieving synergistic development of safe production and economic benefits. This safety assurance system and technical practice provide valuable reference experience for similar deep gold mining projects.