Abstract—In India, open pit mines are the primary source of limestone mineral production. Limestone is utilized as a raw material in the manufacture of cement, a necessary construction material. Because the increased demand for limestone minerals grows year after year, deeper open pit mines are being developed to ensure improved production, productivity and mining safety. The improper design of pit slopes in some limestone mines leads to the failure of slopes, production and productivity losses, and safety issues in the mining area. The design of safe and stable rock cut slopes is required for a healthy working environment and the continuation of limestone production. This paper presents slope stability issues and solutions in two open pit limestone mines covering extensive geotechnical investigations, which are helped by result-oriented stability evaluation using empirical and numerical methods. Recommendations for suitable slope design helped for the exploitation of locked-up limestone reserves in an economic and safe way which may be useful for similar geo-mining conditions.
 

Keywords—Open pit mine, limestone, slope stability, limit equilibrium method (LEM), safety factor

Cite: Sandi Kumar Reddy, "Stability Assessment and Design of Open Pit Slopes of Limestone Mines in India," International Journal of Geology and Earth Sciences, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 28-37, December 2023. doi: 10.18178/ijges.9.2.28-37

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