九州大学学術情報リポジトリ

Kyushu University Institutional Repository

Analysis of Underground Block Caving Mining

Induced Surface Movement in Papua, Indonesia
Setianto, Agung
Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu
University : Doctoral Student

Esaki, Tetsuro
Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University :
Professor

Mitani, Yasuhiro
Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University :
Associate Professor

Djamaluddin, Ibrahim
Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University :
Post-doctoral Fellow

https://hdl.handle.net/2324/14899

出版情報：九州大学工学紀要. 69 (2), pp.49-64, 2009-06-22. 九州大学大学院工学研究院

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Memoirs of the Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Vol.69, No.2, June 2009

Analysis of Underground Block Caving Mining Induced Surface Movement

in Papua, Indonesia

by

Agung SETIANTO+, Tetsuro ESAKI*, Yasuhiro MITANI**,

Ibrahim DJAMALUDDIN*** and Hiro IKEMI****

(Received May 8, 2009)

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Block caving, Subsidence, Aerial photogrammetry, GIS,

Environmental impacts

+
Doctoral Student, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
*
Professor, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
**
Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
***
Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
****
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
50 A. SETIANTO, T. ESAKI, Y. MITANI, I. DJAMALUDDIN and H.IKEMI

1. Introduction

The Freeport Indonesia Cooper and Gold (PTFI) mine is located in Papua, the easternmost
province of Indonesia, and the western half of the island of New Guinea that has been operated for
over 25 years. There are two open pit mines and underground mines at elevations of 2,500 to 4,200
m above sea level. Esberg open pit mining began operation in 1973 and the Grasberg open pit mine
began large-scale open pit mining in 1988 (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 3D plan view of mine area.

Gunung Bijih Timur (GBT)

Production : 1980-1994
Production Rate: 28ktpd

Intermediate Ore Zone (IOZ)

Production : 1994-2003
Production Rate: 10-26ktpd

Deep Ore Zone (DOZ)

Production : 2000-2015
Production Rate:25> 35 >50ktpd

Fig. 2 3D levels of underground block caving mining and its production rate.

The underground mining complex began the block cave operations in 1980 with the Gunung
Bijih Timur (GBT) block cave and was depleted in 1994. The Intermediate Ore Zone (IOZ) block
cave began production in 1994 and was depleted in 2003. In 2000 an adjacent orebody named the
Deep Ore Zone (DOZ) was added to the reserve base. The block caving induced subsidence may
endanger mining infrastructure and is a major concern for operational safety. The subsidence crater
generated by the block caving is usually creating concentric lines of the surface fractures.
Block caving is accordant to ore bodies that have weak structures (e.g., fractured or
hydrothermally altered) and will collapse under their own weight with a minimum of blasting 2).
The subsidence crater generated by block caving usually forms concentric lines of surface fractures.
 Analysis of Underground Block Caving Mining Induced Surface Movement in Papua, Indonesia 51

This crater has its major effects immediately over the mined-out block, although subsidence usually
occurs outside of this area and is subjected to the angle of draw which depends on the nature and
thickness of overburden 17). Subsidence has always been a consequence of underground mining to
at least some extent, beginning when the first rock fell on top of a person working underground for
the purpose of extracting a mineral resource. Figure 2 shows the 3D levels of the underground
block caving mining and its production. 3 levels of extraction area are: (1) GBT extracted from
1980-1994 and located at 3627 m above sea level, (2) IOZ extracted from 1994-2003 and located at
3457 m above sea level, and (3) DOZ extracted from 2000-2015 and located at 3126 m above sea
level.
The block caving that has induced subsidence will cause danger to mine infrastructure and is a
major concern for operational safety. Moreover, changes of surface landforms brought by block
caving subsidence will cause quite dramatic environmental problems and safety hazards; and can
also affect geologic structures overlying the mining areas which may result in surface impacts on
the natural geomorphology and land use.

2. Detection Surface Elevation Change Using Aerial Photogrammetry

Remote sensing data such as Landsat ETM, SPOT, Ikonos, SAR data and aerial photography
are already widely used to detect environmental hazards, such as detecting subsidence in coal
mines and detecting landslide area. In the research area, almost every day is covered by cloud,
satellite imagery is very difficult to used, and the most suitable is aerial photography. Multi
temporal aerial photography is powerful tools that provide periodic monitoring for many different
disaster applications such as detecting subsidence risk area due to block caving underground
mining. In this case, aerial photogrammetry can be used in locations which are difficult or
impossible to access from the ground, have complex geological conditions, steep slope and the
height of 4000 m., while direct measurements in the field using geodetic method is difficult and
dangerous. In this research flight planning and multi temporal aerial photography was prepared by
PT Freeport Indonesia. Two types of aerial photography are applied in this research, namely the
panchromatic aerial photos from 1995 to 2000, produced by McElhanney Consulting Services, and
the medium format aerial photos from 2002 to 2007 produced by P.T. Exsa International Co. Ltd.
The detail specification of aerial photography used in this research is shown in Table 1 and the
work flow of detecting subsidence is shown in Fig. 3. Although the aerial photogrammetry method
has been widely used in various applications so far, in this research, the method is combine with
GIS technology to detect spatio-temporal surface changes in the study area.

2.1 Ground Control Points (GCP)

The instrumental component of establishing an accurate relationship between the images in a
project, the camera/sensor, and the ground is the Ground Control Points (GCP). The GCP are
identifiable features located on the earth surface that have ground coordinates in X, Y, and Z. A full
GCP has X, Y, and Z (elevation of the point) coordinates associated with it. The horizontal control
only specifies the X and Y, while the vertical control only specifies the Z 8).
GCP consist of any points which positions are known in an object space reference coordinate
system, in this research, the reference coordinate is UTM system with WGS 84 datum. The gauging
of the GCP was carried out with the Differential Method GPS, by using 3 units receiver type dual
Geodetic of frequency, in which one of them was attached to the base station and the two receivers
were attached to the two GCP in order to determine the coordinate. After observation time of one
session was completed (2 hours), one receiver at GCP was carried over to the other GCP for the
52 A. SETIANTO, T. ESAKI, Y. MITANI, I. DJAMALUDDIN and H.IKEMI

next session (Leap Frogging Method).

Table 1 Aerial photography specification.

Specification Size
Forward overlap 60%
Side overlap. 30%
Sensor array size Y 4500 pixels
Sensor array size X 3000 pixels
Dimension Y 36 mm
Dimension X 24 mm
Pixel size 50 cm
Focal length 24.9823 mm
Altitude 1000 m
Scale 1: 5000

2.2 Aerial Triangulation

Aerial triangulation method is most frequently applied to the process of determining object in
the space position (X, Y, Z) or the ground coordinates of the individual points, or known as Digital
Elevation Model (DEM), based on the measurements from the photographs or measurement of tie
points. Aerial triangulation is used extensively for many purposes. One of the principal applications
is in extending or densification of ground control or DEM through blocks of photos for use in
subsequent photogrammetric operation13).
Besides having an economic advantage over field surveying, aerial triangulation has other
benefits (Carlisle & Heywood, 20005)), such as:
• Most of the work done under laboratory conditions, thus minimizing any delays and hardships
due to adverse weather conditions;
• Access to many properties within a project area is not required; and
• Field surveying in difficult areas, such as marshes, extreme slopes, hazardous rock formation,
etc, can be minimized.

Flight planning

Multi temporal aerial photo

Aerial Triangulation
Ground Control Points

Tie points with ground

coordinate

DEM extraction

Fig. 3 Flow chart of DEM extraction using aerial photography.

Methods of performing aerial photogrammetry can be classified into three categories: analogue,
semi analytical and analytical. This research uses the most modern methods, i.e. the analytical
aerial triangulation. Analytical aerial triangulation methods consist of monitor-coordinates
measurement of tie-point in block of photographs, followed by computation to compute coordinates
 Analysis of Underground Block Caving Mining Induced Surface Movement in Papua, Indonesia 53

of tie-points in object space and also computation of exterior parameter of each photograph. There
are two steps of Analytical Aerial Triangulation13):
• Bridging or orientation between photos using tie points observation, by observing the tie points
at least 6 points and using the coordinates of the first photo as a reference in column and row
system. Then by using bundle adjustment method, the coordinate of the whole tie points and
exterior parameter of the whole photographs can be computed.
• Bundle adjustment computation. A bundle block adjustment is best defined by examining the
individual words in the term. A bundled solution is computed including the exterior orientation
parameters of each image in a block and the X, Y, and Z coordinates of tie points and adjusted
GCPs. A block of images contained in a project is simultaneously processed in one solution. A
statistical technique known as least squares adjustment is used to estimate the bundled solution
for the entire block while also the same time minimizing and distributing any possible errors.

2.3 Digital Elevation Model (DEM)

DEM consists of a network of sampled object values in the X, Y plane with Z values at every
node of the network. A DEM may include rules of interpolation of Z values at arbitrary X, Y
locations. The network data structure can be a raster, a quad tree, a triangular irregular network
(TIN), or any combination of the three. DEM allows the geometrical description of the entire
surface of an object by three-dimensional coordinates. DEM data can be obtained by several
methods; photogrammetry is among the most common procedures. This model is a very important
tool for subsidence studies. The combination of a DEM with digital image-processing techniques
provides a better interpretation of subsidence phenomena at inaccessible regions or areas under risk
12)
.
GIS has been used for developing DEM, by computing X, Y, and Z ground coordinates of
match points in the study area. In this research, more than 10.000 match points were collected.
Moreover GIS tool is used to overlying DEM which is derived from successive epochs of aerial
photography (Fig. 4). The surface topographic changing is analyzed by using GIS in order to
predict characteristic of ground movement area above GBT, IOZ and DOZ block caving mining.

• Surface and Digital Elevation Model

sub-surface
geological map
Overlay multi temporal DEM
• Underground
excavation map
Surface topographic change

Influence of geological condition on the

surface subsidence development

Fig. 4 Flow chart of GIS analysis.

2.4 Surface Elevation Change

Digital photogrammetry was used for DEM generation and has good precision and accuracy
for detecting ground movement area based on the elevation changes, by extracting the DEMs from
aerial photo which was recorded from 1995 until 2007. The ground movement area that consists of
negative elevation changes was considered as subsidence area while the positive elevation was
considered as waste pile area. The other possibility is the subsidence areas which are covered by
54 A. SETIANTO, T. ESAKI, Y. MITANI, I. DJAMALUDDIN and H.IKEMI

waste pile area, total of waste pile height is more than deep of subsidence. The maximum negative
elevation change value was -1.5 meters and the maximum positive elevation change was + 2.2
meters (Fig. 5 and Fig. 6). The subsidence zone is the result of existence of the underground
mining, below the subsidence area. The waste pile zone appeared as the results of the accumulation
of rock fall in the steep escarpment which was accumulated in the lower part of the escarpment;
and the rock fall was triggered due to steep slope and highly fractured rock.

Fig. 5 Elevation change from DEMs and underground extraction area 1995-2000.

Fig. 6 Elevation change from DEMs and underground extraction area 1995-2007.
 Analysis of Underground Block Caving Mining Induced Surface Movement in Papua, Indonesia 55

A B

C D

Fig. 7a Subsidence and waste pile area detected from multi temporal aerial photogrammetry. The red
line is subsidence area and blue line is waste pile area. A is subsidence and waste pile from 1995 to 1996, B
from 1995 to 1999, C from 1995 to 2003 and D from 1995 to 2007.

Subsidence area

Sedimentation
area

0 300 m

Fig.7b 3D view of subsidence and waste pile area detected from 1995 to 2007. The red line is
subsidence zone blue line is waste pile zone and yellow arrow shows the direction of elevation magnitude.
56 A. SETIANTO, T. ESAKI, Y. MITANI, I. DJAMALUDDIN and H.IKEMI

3. Geological Setting in the Vicinity of Mine

The stratigraphy of the surface mine area consists of the following 5 layers: (1) Paleocene to
Eocene Waripi Formation (PEW) that consists of sandy dolomite, which is composed of
fossiliferous dolostone, quartz sandstone and minor limestone. (2) Eocene Faumai Formation (Ef)
is composed of thick-bedded (up to 15 m) to massive foraminifera-rich limestone, marly limestone,
dolostone and quartz-rich sandstone. (3) Early Oligocene Sirga Formation (Os) is composed of a
foraminifera-bearing, coarse to medium-grained quartz sandstone and siltstone. (4) Oligocene to
Middle Miocene Kais Formation (Mok) is interbedded marl, carbonaceous siltstone and coal. And
(5) Igneous rocks in the district which are widespread as small (meters to tens of meter wide) dikes,
plugs and sills into the Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary rocks. The main structural features in
this area are the west-northwest (WNW) trending, steeply dipping Ertsberg 1 Fault, Ertsberg 2
Fault, Ertsberg 3 Fault and the Ertsberg 4 Fault to the south. These faults have kilometer-scale and
reverse-sense offsets. Geological surface such as; lithology distribution and the geological structure
have been analyzed using GIS (Fig. 8).

Fig. 8 Surface geological map, lithology distribution and the geological structure.

The sedimentary rocks, in the subsurface that hosted the DOZ deposit, has been
hydrothermally altered into various calc-silicate mineral assemblages including forsterite, garnet,
diopside, quartz, clino-pyroxene and epidote. In addition, a variety of other minerals including
magnetite, anhydrite, gypsum, calcite, bornite, chalcopyrite, covellite, pyrite and hematite occurred
in the deposit. The orebody is roughly zoned to the following alteration pattern, again traversing
from the Ertsberg Diorite to the north: (1) Forsterite skarn, which commonly occurs adjacent to
diorite intrusions, is the most prevalent rock type in the DOZ; (2) The magnetite-forsterite skarn
occured adjacent to the massive magnetite zone; (3) The DOZ breccia rock type, which is found
only in the DOZ, occured as a pipe-like zone that has a diameter of more than 100 meters; (4) The
massive magnetite rock type commonly occured along the hangingwall zone, in contact with
marble; (5) The marble rock type is comprised of re-crystallized carbonate rock of the lower to
middle Waripi Formation; (6) To the west and south-west (with respect to the DOZ mine), the
 Analysis of Underground Block Caving Mining Induced Surface Movement in Papua, Indonesia 57

Ertsberg Diorite is strongly altered along the contact with the East Ertsberg Skarn System (EESS).
The sub-surface geological, lithology distribution and the geological structure have been analyzed
using GIS (Fig. 9).

Fig. 9 Sub-surface geological map, lithology distribution and the geological structure.

4. DOZ Underground Mining

DOZ block cave is the largest single underground block cave mine in the world and the third
vertical lift in the East Ertsberg Skarn System (EESS) deposit. The DOZ was discovered in the
mid-1980s by deep drilling from the GBT. Portions of the DOZ were mine using open stoping
methods from 1989 to 1992. In 1993, the first of several studies was completed indicating that
portions of the DOZ could be successfully and economically mined using block caving methods.
The production level of the DOZ block cave is at 3126 level lies at a depth of about 1200 meters
below the surface. Maximum high of the extraction from 2000- 2008 is 459 meters and the
minimum is 4 meters. Figure 10 shows the extraction points (275 points) from 2000- 2008. Start
form 2000, the extraction was progressed to the east to reduce impact of the DOZ caving on the
operations of the IOZ block cave mine. After the IOZ was exhausted in 2004, caving was started
towards the west.

4.1 Analysis of the Relationship Between Height of Draw (HoD), Overburden and Surface
Subsidence at DOZ Underground Mining
The HoD is the total amount of material taken during the process of extraction while the
overburden is the term used in mining to describe material that lies above the area of economic or
scientific interest, e.g., the rock, soil and ecosystem that lies above the extracted area (Fig. 11).
Overburden is distinct from tailings, the material that remains after economically valuable
components have been extracted from the generally finely milled ore. Overburden is removed
during surface or underground mining, but is not typically contaminated with toxic components and
may be used to restore a mining site to a semblance of its appearance before mining began.
58 A. SETIANTO, T. ESAKI, Y. MITANI, I. DJAMALUDDIN and H.IKEMI

Relationship between HoD/overburden and surface subsidence is shown in Fig. 12 and Fig. 13.
Points in this Fig. 12 represent the position of extraction point data at DOZ underground mining in
which extracted using GIS with subsidence value and HOD/Overburden value.

.
Fig. 10 3D view of extraction point from 2000- 2008.

This relationship can be divided into four areas; high waste pile area (2m ~ >0.5m), low waste
pile ~ no surface change (0,5m ~ 0m), low subsidence (<0m ~ -0,5m) and high subsidence area
(<-0,5m). High waste pile area located in the lower part of the surface change area, at the elevation
3900m - 3950 m, with slope at 30o~ <40o, and HoD/overburden value is 0,1. Low waste pile ~ no
surface change area located in the middle-eastern part of the surface change area, at the elevation of
4000m - 4200 m, with slope at 10o~ <40o, and HoD/overburden value is 0,1 ~ 0,4. Low subsidence
area located in the medium to upper part of the surface change area, at the elevation 3900m - 4200
m, with slope at 10o~<50o, and HoD/overburden value is 0,1~ 0,4. High subsidence area located in
the medium to upper part of the surface change area, at the elevation 3900m - 4200 m, with slope at
10o~ <50o, and HoD/overburden value is 0,1~ 0,3.
Low waste pile – no surface change area includes the area in which subsidence and
sedimentation do not exist. From aerial photos, this area shows the fresh rock and according to the
geological map, this area limited by fault (Fig. 13). This phenomenon can be thought as the result
of the existence of fault by the development of the subsidence area deceleration. Another reason is
because DOZ approximately 600 meter below the surface, so that the effect is too small in the
surface area. The strength of the rocks also plays a role here as well as the factor of lithology,
jointing pattern and extent of the development, faults and their distribution, and the degree of
weathering. Most of subsidence areas consist of sediment rocks, but the other area that have no
surface elevation change, consist of skarn that have different rock strength. Besides faults, the
difference of the rocks strength also has role in causing the subsidence border to decelerate. In
normal condition, if there are no faults and all the lithology distribution are homogenous, the
subsidence border will be in a regular shape, but in the research area, the surface is controlled by
some faults and consists of different types of rock with different strength.
In the low subsidence area, there are some extraction points that have high HOD/overburden
value. On normal condition, HOD/Overburden value is also low in this area. This phenomenon
occurred by the surface changes in this area consist of subsidence and waste pile. Due to covered
by waste pile, the area with high HOD/Overburden value has low subsidence. Another factor is the
existences of geological fault and different lithological type made the development of the
subsidence area deceleration.
 Analysis of Underground Block Caving Mining Induced Surface Movement in Papua, Indonesia 59

Fig. 11 Illustration of overburden and HoD.

0.5
Low subsidence area No waste pile – low
0.4
waste pile area
HOD/Overburden (m)

0.4
High subsidence area
0.3

0.3
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
High waste pile area
0.0
-2.0 -1.5 -1.0 -0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5
Subsidence Waste pile
Surface change (m)
Fig. 12 Relationship between HoD/overburden and surface subsidence.

The high HoD and overburden values are shown in the south-east side of the extracted area
(Fig. 14 and Fig.15). The maximum overburden value is 1140 and minimum value is 750, while
HoD maximum value is 450 and minimum value is 25. Extraction area with high Hod value also
has high overburden value, and the extraction area having low value of HoD, surely also have low
value of overburden. This phenomenon was done to keep the subsidence value not too high in the
surface. However, the relationship between HoD/overburden values with the subsidence is different,
such as at the area having high HoD/overburden value, not having high subsidence value. High
subsidence values are shown in the area with low to middle HoD/overburden value (0.1-0.3, Fig.
12). This occurrence is caused by several factors: (1) this area has complex geological condition.
The type of lithologies that exists in the subsidence area are skarn, sandstone and diorite and there
are two types of faults, i.e. normal and reverse faults (2) the extraction areas have irregular shapes
(showed in Fig. 10) (3) subsidence developed on mountain area which has steep ground surface
slope, ranging between 10o to 70o (4) time dependent deformation of rock. This factor has a
60 A. SETIANTO, T. ESAKI, Y. MITANI, I. DJAMALUDDIN and H.IKEMI

significant impact on the stability of rock slopes and underground structures such as underground
block caving mining and tunnels. After an excavation and a support installation, the ground may
continue to deform as time progresses, and may cause severe damage.

Fig. 13 Low – high sedimentation and low-high subsidence area base on relationship between
HoD/overburden and surface subsidence.

Fig. 14 Extraction point from 2000- 2008 overlay with HoD value.
 Analysis of Underground Block Caving Mining Induced Surface Movement in Papua, Indonesia 61

Fig. 15 Extraction point from 2000- 2008 overlay with overburden value.

5. Environmental Impact due to Underground Block Caving

Underground excavation is predicted to impact the surface and connected to the already caved
areas due to the mining of the GBT, IOZ and DOZ block caves. Some facilities that are located in
the potential surface change area are shown in Fig. 16 and photos of field inspection at the surface
change area are shown in Fig. 17.
Some facilities that are expected to be lost due to the surface change such as:
1. Existing DOM Road. This road provides the access to the DOM area. On daily operation, this
access is used by the maintenance and ventilation groups, who conduct a routine maintenance
to the Tuan Fans and DOZ Fans, and by the geotechnical group, who monitors the
subsidence/caving propagation at the surface. Considering the importance of this road function,
an alternative road has been built. The new road shown in the Fig. 16 was made for
anticipating the impact from the DOZ crack. This plan will be modified to accommodate the
ESZ crack’s effect.
2. DOM Office. This office and the DOM yard have been abandoned for years and are used for
storing scrapped materials. There is no risk of losing these. Most of the materials have been
moved following the occurrence in 2002. However, a thorough cleaning up program to this
area should be completed before affected by the DOZ cave.
3. Tuan Fans. Currently, the salvaging process to the fans is in progress. By the time the DOZ
subsidence intercepts this area, there will be no fans left.
4. Power Lines. These lines transfers the power required for running the DOZ fans. Moving the
existing power lines to the new DOM road and adding another power line must be done.
5. Water Pond. The water source of this pond is coming from the rain. Pumping and drying up the
pond is included in the modified alternate DOM road plan.
62 A. SETIANTO, T. ESAKI, Y. MITANI, I. DJAMALUDDIN and H.IKEMI

Photo A

Photo C

Photo B

Photo D

Fig. 16 Some facilities that are expected to be lost due to the surface deformation.

Fig. 17 Photos of field inspection at the surface change area; A: this point of view observed at the west side
of subsidence area, the wall as the limit of cave line at the subsidence; B: east side of surface deformation,
disturb electricity line; C: south side of surface deformation, close the DOM road; D: south-east side of
surface deformation, the mine ventilation from DOZ.
 Analysis of Underground Block Caving Mining Induced Surface Movement in Papua, Indonesia 63

6. Conclusion

Subsidence and waste pile area were detected spatio-temporally using GIS and multi temporal
aerial photogrammetry analysis. The subsidence developed on the steep ground surface slope that
caused slope failure phenomena on the up slope side and rock falling down into the lower area
around the waste pile area.
The maximum overburden value at DOZ is 1140 and minimum value is 750, while HoD
maximum value is 450 and minimum value is 25. According to this relationship between
HoD/overburden and surface subsidence, can be divided into four areas; high waste pile area (2m ~
>0.5m), low waste pile ~ no surface change (0,5m ~ 0m), low subsidence (<0m ~ -0,5m) and high
subsidence area (<-0,5m).
Low waste pile – no surface change area is including the area that there is no subsidence and
sedimentation. This phenomenon can be explained as the result of the existence of fault, the
strength of the lithology and the degree of weathering. In the low subsidence area, there are some
extraction points that have high HOD/overburden values. This phenomenon was caused by the
surface change in this area that consists of subsidence and waste pile. Due to waste pile deposition,
the area with high HOD/Overburden value has low subsidence. Extraction area with high Hod
value, have high overburden value. This phenomenon was done to keep the subsidence value not
too high in the surface. High subsidence value located at area that HoD/overburden value is low to
middle. This occurrence is caused by several factors: (1) this area has complex geological condition
(2) the extraction areas has irregular shapes (3) subsidence developed on mountain area and has
steeply slope ground surface (4) time dependent deformation of rock.
Block caving mining activities in the PT. Freeport Gold & Copper mining, Papua, Indonesia
caused annually ground surface change. The type of geological condition above the extracted area
has influence to the general characteristic and magnitude of the subsidence distributions. Surface
subsidence and waste pile due to underground extraction is gradual process and result in the
gradual development of damage. Some facilities that are expected to be lost due to the surface
movement, such as existing DOM road, DOM office, Tuan fans, power lines, and water pond.

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