CAVING 2026 CONFERENCE BRINGS GLOBAL MINING EXPERTISE TO ULAANBAATAR

T. Byambanaran

ULAANBAATAR, August 12, 2026 - The Caving 2026 Conference is being held in Ulaanbaatar from August 11 to 13, bringing together mining industry professionals, researchers and technical experts to discuss the latest developments in block and sublevel caving.

The conference is hosted in Mongolia by the Australian Centre for Geomechanics (ACG), a not-for-profit mining research organisation at The University of Western Australia, in collaboration with the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST).

Block and Sublevel Caving Conferences provide a platform for mining companies, researchers and industry specialists to exchange knowledge on technological advances, operational experience and research in caving mining methods. Caving 2026 is addressing a broad range of technical and operational issues relevant to the design, development and management of caving mines.

As part of the programme, the Principal Hazard Management in Caving Mines workshop was held on August 10, ahead of the main conference.

Following the three-day conference, several specialised workshops are scheduled for August 14, including workshops on Muon Tomography, Airblast and Hazards, and Core Photography.

The programme will also include a site visit to the Oyu Tolgoi mine, providing participants with an opportunity to gain first-hand insight into one of the world's major underground mining operations.

Key conference themes include cave monitoring and analysis, cave design and planning, numerical modelling, geotechnical design, seismicity and rockburst hazards, fragmentation, draw control, mixing and dilution, production simulation, automation, ground support, rock mass characterisation, gravity flow and principal hazard management.

Other topics being discussed include the stability and monitoring of underground drives and infrastructure, seismic data analysis, mudrush and inrush hazards, distributed acoustic sensing, backfilling of subsidence zones, rock testing, and the calibration and sensitivity analysis of numerical models.

The hosting of Caving 2026 in Mongolia highlights the country's growing role in the global underground mining sector and provides an opportunity for Mongolian mining professionals and researchers to engage directly with international expertise and the latest developments in caving technology and practice.