The Duplancic model of caving (Duplancic, 2001) is widely accepted in industry and is the framework within which most monitoring and numerical modelling results in caving mines are interpreted. The Duplancic model was created based primarily on simple microseismic analysis and linear elastic numerical modelling of one case study. At the time, it provided a much-needed interpretation framework and, as a result, has been applied to numerous mines. The model is generally interpreted as indicating that the damage ahead of the cave back in block caving mines continuously decreases with increasing distance from the cave back. From basic seismic analysis and with the assumption that slip along preexisting discontinuities will take place preferentially to intact rock failure, Duplancic found that the most likely failure mechanism in the cave crown was slip along pre-existing discontinuities. As such, the model downplays the role of intact rock failure, including extensional failure. Extensional fracturing occurs parallel to the major principal stress and perpendicular to the maximum extensional strain. This may occur under a compressive macro-stress regime (Stacey, 1981).Physical modelling of cave development in a centrifuge was carried out, and the results of the physical modelling did not correspond with the expectation of the Duplancic model. The main mechanism of cave propagation observed in the physical models was via a series of extensional fractures parallel to the cave back.This discrepancy between the Duplancic model and the physical model raises the question whether the governing mechanism evident in the physical models is also present in the field, and whether the Duplancic conceptual model for caving mechanics should be reviewed.A literature review revealed that several observations that were made in the past support the existence in the field of the mechanism evident in the physical models, although it seems that the importance and the full implication of these observations were not appreciated by the respective authors.In addition to the physical models and literature review, an investigation was performed in order to establish whether any banding formation can be supported by the interpretation of microseismic monitoring data in modern block caving mines. Analysis of microseismicity was conducted at two large copper-gold porphyry block cave operations. The results of the analysis indicated that the mechanism seen in the physical model may have occurred at both mines. This paper discusses the Duplancic model and presents an overview of the results from the physical modelling, literature review, and microseismic event monitoring.Fracture banding in caving mines by D. Cumming-Potvin*, J. Wesseloo*, S.W. Jacobsz † , and E. Kearsley † The Duplancic model of caving is widely accepted in industry and is the framework within which most monitoring and numerical modelling results in caving mines are interpreted. As a result, the damage profile ahead of the cave back is often interpreted as continuously decreasing d...

High-quality data is crucial in back-analysis of rockburst data and the development of empirical design methods. Data collection and reporting is currently predominantly a manual process (creating a two-pass system) with limited organisation or standardisation. To facilitate the collection, management and analysis of high-quality rockburst damage data, a damage mapping application was developed. This application is designed for offline use with tablet devices, creating a single-pass system. The data captured by the application includes information on location, rock mass conditions, installed ground support and corrosion, falls of ground, damage and photos. The application was designed with four goals in mind: consistency, speed, comprehensiveness and simplicity. To achieve these goals, a number of custom-made widgets were employed for optimal data input. Once input is complete, the data is synchronised to a server on the mine network and is then available for further analysis with an mXrap app.