JKMRC Friday Seminar 2026: Block Caving Modelling: The Chilean Experience

JKMRC Friday Seminar 2026: Block Caving Modelling: The Chilean Experience

by Dr René Gómez Puigpinos

Applied Sciences & Engineering Engineering & Technology TTOther technologies and applied sciencesTTUMining technology and engineering
🎙 Dr René Gómez Puigpinos 👥 6K 📅 September 3, 2026 ⏱ 44 min 👁 11 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-09-03
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

block cavinggravity flowphysical modellingnumerical modellingChilean mining

Summary

Dr René Gómez Puigpinos presents a seminar on block caving modelling, drawing on his extensive experience in Chilean mining operations. He begins by introducing several Chilean block caving projects, including El Teniente, Chuquicamata, and smaller operations, highlighting the challenges of cave interaction, seismicity, and water inrushes. The core of the presentation focuses on the study of gravity flow in broken ore columns using physical and numerical modelling. He describes various physical models used to investigate drawpoint geometry, fine material migration, and hang-ups, and discusses the development of numerical models, including cellular automaton and DEM approaches, to simulate gravity flow and caving processes. He emphasizes the importance of calibrating these models with physical experiments and mine data, and mentions recent work on coupling different modelling tools to better represent caving propagation and air gap risks. The seminar concludes with a Q&A session where he addresses model validation, the practical use of models by companies like Codelco, and the challenges of modelling fine particle behaviour, including thixotropic effects.

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Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The presentation provides valuable insights into the practical application of physical and numerical modelling in block caving, based on the speaker’s direct involvement in Chilean mining projects. The argumentation is supported by numerous examples from real operations and research experiments, which strengthens the credibility of the claims. However, the presentation is largely descriptive and lacks a critical evaluation of the models’ limitations or a comparison with alternative approaches. The speaker acknowledges some challenges, such as computational time and data quality, but does not delve deeply into the uncertainties or potential biases in the modelling results.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The speaker has a strong academic and professional background, with over 40 journal papers and 21 conference presentations, which lends credibility to his expertise. However, the seminar does not cite specific sources or references, and the only link provided is to the SMI webinar page, which is not directly related to the content. The title accurately reflects the content, focusing on block caving modelling in Chile. The presentation is well-structured and the speaker’s experience is evident, but the lack of explicit citations and the reliance on anecdotal evidence reduce the scientific rigour.

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Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on block caving modelling experiences in Chile.

Quality & Reliability

7/10

The seminar is delivered by a mining engineer with a PhD and over 10 years of experience in caving mining, with a strong publication record. The content is based on his research and practical experience, but it is largely anecdotal and lacks detailed methodological descriptions or peer-reviewed references. The presentation is a high-level overview of modelling approaches and case studies, with limited critical analysis of limitations or uncertainties.

Key Moments

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

Cited Sources

  • SMI Webinars — Link provided in the video description for access to past webinars.

Concurring Sources

  • SMI Webinars — The link provides access to past webinars, which may include related presentations on mining and block caving.

Contribution & Novelties

The seminar provides a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art in block caving modelling, drawing on the speaker’s extensive experience in Chilean operations. It highlights the integration of physical and numerical modelling approaches to address complex challenges such as gravity flow, fine material migration, and air gap risks. The presentation offers practical insights into model calibration and validation, and discusses recent developments in coupling different modelling tools. This contributes to the field by sharing real-world case studies and lessons learned from one of the world’s leading mining countries.

Pour aller plus loin :

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Radar Profile

The radar profile shows a balanced performance across all dimensions, with slightly higher scores in information quantity and technical level, reflecting the speaker's expertise and the depth of content. The lower score in reliability suggests that while the information is valuable, it relies heavily on anecdotal evidence and lacks explicit citations.

Reliability 7/10

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