A Fuzzy Comprehensive Assessment Approach and Application of Rock Mass Cavability in Block Caving Mining

Cavability assessment is an important subject during the feasibility stages before determining whether to use block caving mining. This paper provides a fuzzy comprehensive assessment (FCA) approach based on the cavability assessment approaches and its influencing factors, which are all fuzzy. This approach combines the cavability influencing factors with engineering empirical approaches by fuzzy mathematics, which improves the applicability of the cavability assessment results. This approach is applied to assess the cavability via cores in the Luoboling copper molybdenum mine. The spatial distribution of the rock mass cavability at different depths of the borehole is obtained. The cavability ranks of various rocks are determined in different locations. These assessment results can provide a basis for demonstrating the feasibility of block caving mining in the Luoboling copper molybdenum mine. The study can also provide a basis for the design of mining engineering.