Mine access road slope failure: A case study from the Ok Tedi mine

A case study of a landslide, which threatened vital infrastructure essential for the continuous operation of the Ok Tedi copper mine is presented. The paper presents a detailed description of the landslide, outlines the assets at risk, and how the issue was addressed. This included the consideration of remedial options and the implementation of the most economically sound and geotechnically feasible remedial design which was completed within budget and on schedule. The paper is intended to highlight the responsibility of a mine based Geotechnical Engineering section in providing essential geotechnical investigations, design and professional advice on addressing stability issues in the infrastructure region.