The paper presents a theoretical analysis of highwall destruction by blasting. Peculiarities of blasting in high faces at open-pit mining operations in Russia are analyzed. New approaches to drilling processes in high faces are proposed. Possibilities of application of walking machines for downward digging (walking excavators) are described.
An approach to assessing the availability of mineral resources and reserves is outlined. Examples of changes in the availability of reserves in the process of their exploration, preparation, development and processing are given. The influence of scientific and technological progress on the availability of deposits is shown. The dependences of the probabilities of involvement in the development of mineral reserves on the level of their availability are established.
The problem of rock fracture is one of the most important scientific problems in the modern system of mining sciences. The efficiency of rock destruction determines the efficiency of all subsequent stages of mining production. We offer an overview of modern scientific research on rock fracture, carried out in Russia and some other CIS countries.
