Rodoretto talc mine (To, Italy): studies for the optimizationof the cemented backfilling

The underground talc mine of Fontane (Prali, near Torino, North West of Italy) has been exploited for decades by conventional cut and fill method using loose fill and, in the last 30 years, using cemented backfill and exploiting the orebody downwards. With this exploitation approach, the orebody recovery and the safety of the mining operations have been greatly improved. In the new mine section, located in Rodoretto, a detailed numerical modelling has been carried out to simulate the various geometrical and mining conditions and the fill properties. In the meantime an experimental research carried out to check the possibility of using the waste rock for the fill mix have been carried out in order to establish a procedure able to reduce the filling costs.