Mining industries rely heavily on ground support systems to ensure the safety and stability of underground excavations. Corrosion failure of rockbolts and cable bolts in underground mines is a significant concern, as it can result in catastrophic failure of the ground support system, which can lead to dangerous and even fatal situations for the miners.

Mining professionals need to understand the mechanisms of corrosion failure of the bolts to identify the protection methods to avoid incidents.

This Masterclass aims to educate participants on the corrosion failure of rockbolts and cable bolts in underground mines, and provide a step-by-step examination procedure to determine the problem.

The Masterclass is divided into three parts. The first part provides an overview of how corrosion can occur in underground environments, which can lead to catastrophic failure of the bolts. The most common cause of failure, stress corrosion cracking (SCC), will be explained in detail.

The second part of the Masterclass focuses on the role of bacteria in the underground environment in relation to the corrosion failure of bolts. Both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria can cause corrosion, which can lead to the fracture of the bolts.

In the last part of the Masterclass, participants will learn about various protection methods to prevent corrosion failure of bolts. The course will compare conventional galvanising with other coating methods and provide guidance on how to select suitable methods to overcome corrosion in underground environments. This is a must-attend Masterclass for mine engineers and managers responsible for designing and implementing ground support systems.

Delivered in collaboration with AusIMM’s Education Partner, UNSW Sydney.