Analysis of underground block caving mining induced surface movement in papua, indonesia

The occurrence of the surface movement is the main focus of the study regarding to the gold & copper underground block caving mining in Papua, Indonesia. The underground mining has brought some environmental problems on the terrain surface such as the lowering of the elevation followed by growing of the waste pile as the result from the failure of the rock slope. In this study, the surface movements due to the underground mining were analyzed by using the aerial photogrammetry method and the Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. The detected surface subsidence ranging from 1.5 to 2 meter and the development of the sedimentation area has been identified in which the maximum deposit thickness is about 2 meter. In addition, the correlations between extraction thicknesses over the overburden versus ground movement have been studied in order to find out the influence of some geological conditions in the development of the surface changing. The surface movement induced by underground mining causes some serious environmental impact not only above the extraction zones but also the surrounding areas. Some environmental impacts due to the surface movement are reviewed and discussed in this paper in order to describe the current situation of the underground mining in Papua, Indonesia.