Changes in the physical and mechanical properties of eluvial soils in the profile of the weathering crust of copper deposits

Modern trends and the rate of accumulation of geological information dictate to us the conditions in which the question of the causes and mechanisms of processes and phenomena becomes more and more stable. The study of weathering crust is currently becoming increasingly important, since its presence largely determines the hypergenic metallogeny of various regions. Numerous deposits of various minerals are directly and indirectly associated with weathering crusts, in particular residual ores of iron, nickel, cobalt, bauxite and other significant mineral raw materials. The paper reveals the nature of the formation of the weathering crust and engineering-geological features on the example of the copper mineral deposits “Saum” and “Malmyzhskoye”. A detailed description of the formation of weathering crust profiles is given, the physical and mechanical properties of the soils that compose the weathering crust are determined and a comparative analysis of these properties in each of the zones is carried out. The most significant result of scientific work is the establishment of a connection between the change in the engineering-geological zonality of the weathering crust and the stability of the angles of inclination of the sides of quarries. Further work on the development and operation of quarries will depend on the correct determination of the engineering and geological features of the weathering crust.

Abaturova I. V., Bobina T. S., Storozhenko L. A. Changes in the physical and mechanical properties of eluvial soils in the profile of the weathering crustof copper deposits. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2022;(5—1):6—20. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2022_51_0_6.

Abaturova I. V.¹, Dr. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Professor of the Department of Hydrogeology, Engineering Geology and Geoecology, gingeo@mail.ru, ORCID iD: 0000-0003-48293204;
Bobina T. S.¹, Senior lecturer of the Department of Geology and protection in emergency situations, tanyashka1993@mail.ru, ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7790-9907;
Storozhenko L. A.¹, Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Associate Professor of Geology and protection in emergency situations, stor_luba@mail.ru, ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7790-9907;
¹ Ural State Mining University, Russia, 620144, Yekaterinburg, st. Kuibyshev, 30.

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