Pustynnoye Mine

Description

Geobrugg experts assessed the hazardous zones and evaluated different protection options, including the active stabilization system TECCO^®, a GBE rockfall barrier, and a drape system with DELTAX^® 80/3 mesh. Since there was not enough space to install a barrier and the TECCO^® solution would have been too costly for the 100-meter slope—which was not yet in its final contour—the drape system was selected as the most suitable option.

The system was modified with a bottom rope fixed by anchors, as there was no trench or space available to catch falling rocks. Although this increased the load on the system, it was considered the best solution for the road's limited operational period. Geobrugg also advised the mine on drilling and installing anchors using the blasting machine.

A few days after installation, a rockfall of 53 m³ (140 tons, maximum block size 1.45 m) occurred, affecting around 20 meters of the road. The system successfully contained the mass, allowing operations to continue. Thanks to its durability, the DELTAX^® 80/3 mesh was later dismantled and reused in another section of the mine, with some parts repurposed for a barrier developed by the mine itself.