Belay Habtamu, Chala Endalu Tadele, Jilo Nagessa Zerihun, Gebrehiwot Gidey, Ahmad Mirza Iftikhar
Department of Mining Engineering, College of Engineering, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Oromia Mining Share Company, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Sci Rep. 2025 Aug 2;15(1):28269. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-13512-3.
This study examines slope stability at the Ula Ulo Placer gold mine in the Adola Belt, Guji, southern Ethiopia, where open-pit mining enables flexible mineral extraction but presents significant stability concerns. Frequent slope failures have disrupted operations and delayed production. This research aims to evaluate and improve the stability of the open-pit excavation through an integrated approach combining field investigations, laboratory testing, and numerical modeling. Fieldwork included detailed slope geometry and orientation measurements, in situ testing, and soil and rock sampling for laboratory analysis. Stability assessment was performed using both the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) and the Finite Element Method (FEM) via Slide 2D (v6.0) and Phase2 (v8.0) software. The variables analyzed included bench angle, width, overall slope angle, and geotechnical properties under drained and undrained conditions. The analysis indicated that a 40° slope was unstable and unsuitable, while a 30° slope provided high stability but involved excessive excavation. A 35° slope was found to be the most practical solution, offering an effective balance between structural safety and excavation requirements.
本研究考察了埃塞俄比亚南部古吉州阿多拉带乌拉乌洛砂金矿的边坡稳定性,该矿的露天开采便于灵活开采矿石,但存在重大的稳定性问题。频繁的边坡失稳扰乱了作业并延误了生产。本研究旨在通过结合现场调查、实验室测试和数值模拟的综合方法,评估并提高露天矿开挖的稳定性。现场工作包括详细的边坡几何形状和方向测量、原位测试以及采集土壤和岩石样本用于实验室分析。通过Slide 2D(v6.0)和Phase2(v8.0)软件,采用极限平衡法(LEM)和有限元法(FEM)进行稳定性评估。分析的变量包括台阶角度、宽度、整体边坡角度以及排水和不排水条件下的岩土特性。分析表明,40°的边坡不稳定且不合适,而30°的边坡稳定性高,但开挖量过大。结果发现35°的边坡是最实际的解决方案,在结构安全和开挖要求之间实现了有效平衡。