Stability analysis of new safety cleaning bank in steep slope mining

Based on the study of the slope with gently granular structure in Xingqiao open mine, a new safety cleaning bank mode for steep slope mining was developed, including setting up dint cut, and forming natural retaining wall based on the character of gentle incline slope. It can effectively eliminate the impact of sliding body on the bottom working place and slope body, reduce the dilution of ore, keep rainwater from upper steps away, decrease influence of the weak intermediate layer, and cut cost of disposal waste rock. The safety and reliability of the mode were analyzed and verified from 3 aspects: static load calculation, ANSYS simulation of dynamic loading and spot experiment. The result of static loading calculation shows that the retaining wall can support accumulation and extrusion of granular body, and the glide or overturn disaster will not take place. The simulations of dynamic loading show that the retaining wall remains stable until sliding body collapses from 360 m (10 sublevels). Only one new safety cleaning bank in each 1–5 sublevels can fully meet the need of engineering. The new mode sustains steep slope mining, increases the angle of ultimate slope, and reduces invalid overburden amount of rock by 3%–5%. The result of spot experiment has verified the exactness of the above calculations and simulations.