Integrated analysis method for rock slope stability of the deep open pits

Articles in Press

Document Type : Reply to comment on Paper

Authors

Copperbelt University, Mining Department, School of Mines and Minerals, Kitwe, Zambia.

10.22059/ijmge.2026.400817.595294

Abstract

Due to increasing demands of mineral commodities, modern pits are faced with the challenges of deepening and widening the existing pits. As the pit deepens, the perimeter of the pit and the quantity of the material to be hauled rises, practically exponentially. Excessively steep slopes induce failures, which is counter intuitive to the economic benefits that may have initially been planned for. In open pit mining, several rock slope stability analysis methods are routinely performed to predict the safe and functional design and excavation of slopes based on varying external loads. Current literature indicate, that all the existing rock slope stability analysis methods have got limitations in the accurate stability assessments as the pit deepens. To address the limitations introduced by modern slope stability methods, integration of these stability methods was applied on a real deep slope. The study results shows that integrating the stability methods improves the understanding of the slope behavior and contributes to more accurate stability assessments as the pit deepens beyond the anticipations. This enhances the accuracy and reliability of stability assessments, addressing the complexities introduced by modern technologies and geological factors.

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References

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International Journal of Mining and Geo-Engineering

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 03 May 2026

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