Block Caving Modelling: The Chilean Experience
Speaker: Dr René Gómez Puigpinos 
Abstract: Physical and numerical modelling play a key role in caving mining, providing fundamental insight into complex rock mass behaviour and gravity-driven flow mechanisms. These tools are essential, to understand and mitigate major operational risks such as rockbursts, mud and water inrushes, and production level instability. By integrating modelling with field observations, it is possible to improve mine design, operational control, and risk management. In this context, Chilean block caving operations offer extensive experience and world-class case studies.
Bio: René Gómez Puigpinos is a mining engineer, with a MSc and PhD in Mining Engineering. He has over 10 years of experience in research and development in caving mining. René's research focuses on physical and numerical modelling of gravitational flow, underground mine design, rock fragmentation, and geomechanics. He has led several research projects, published more than 40 journal papers, presented 21 conference papers, and supervised over 80 mining engineers.
This seminar will be presented by Webinar only
About JKMRC Friday Seminars 2026
Welcome to the 2026 Series of the JKMRC Friday Seminars. The list of presentations will aim to cover a range of topics related to the minerals sector from decision making in exploration, new mineral processing technologies, social licence to operate and mine closure.
The JKMRC Friday Seminars will be presented often in person, at the Indooroopilly Mine Site Lecture Theatre, and also as a webinar. Registration for the webinar is required and can be made via the registration link in each seminar overview.
A large number of past webinars can be accessed on the SMI website: https://smi.uq.edu.au/webinars
Previous seminars have been uploaded to YouTube via the following link: https://www.youtube.com/user/smiuq
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