Estimation of abrasiveness impact on the parameters of rock-cutting equipment

Abstract

Development of equipment, which provides access to underground mineral deposits and their extraction, requires the use of all the accumulated experience and advanced scientific research in the area of mechanical rock cutting. The most important issues of using mechanical rock cutting tools are their wearability and consumption, which have an impact on technical and economic indicators of project efficiency. The paper describes Russian and foreign practices of estimating tool wear resistance, expressions to determine critical cutting speed, methods to evaluate tool consumption. It is demonstrated that wearability of mechanical tools and associated effects are to a large extent defined by rock abrasiveness. It is highlighted that in Russia the index is calculated using Baron-Kuznetsov method, which is briefly described in the paper. In many countries with a highly-developed mining industry, rock abrasiveness is estimated with a Cerchar Abrasiveness Index (CAI), recommended by the International Society for Rock Mechanics. Its description is also presented in the paper.