Abstract:The efficacy of hydraulic fracturing in an refractory copper ore body was evaluated through a combination of laboratory testing, numerical simulation, and field trials. Indoor fracturing material simulation experiments were conducted on the refractory ore body. Numerical simulations were employed to investigate fracturing crack propagation under various cluster spacing, construction displacement, and scales. Surface open-hole and perforated fracturing techniques were tested and monitored on an industrial scale. The results indicate that the ore body has a favorable fracturability, possessing the potential to form multiple complex fractures. The numerical simulations suggest that a hydraulic fracturing construction displacement within the range of 4~5 m3/min and a single-stage fluid volume of 200~450 m3 are sufficient to meet the demands of fracture half-lengths of 40~70 m, resulting in complex fracture networks. Industrial trials revealed that hydraulic fractures in two wells extended shorter along the minor axis of the ore body, generally aligning with extension patterns and meeting design requirements. Compared to open-hole fracturing, perforated well fracturing, utilizing multi-cluster perforation plus temporary plugging and diversion (hole + fracture interior), produced denser hydraulic fractures, with monitored fracture lengths significantly shorter than the designed lengths. This provides a basis for the hydraulic development and fracturing induction of the natural caving method in metal mines.