Shahrood University of Technology Journal of Mining and Environment 2251-8592 16 5 2025 08 01 Numerical Modeling of Discontinuities to Determine the Optimal Direction of Dimension Stone Extraction (Case Study: Melika Kerman Marble Quarry, Central Iran) 1729 1740 3398 10.22044/jme.2025.14954.2850 EN Sina Alizadeh Department of Earth Sciences., Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Mohammad Reza Ghassemi Research Institute for Earth Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mehran Arian Department of Earth Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Ali Solgi Department of Earth Sciences., Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Zahra Maleki Department of Earth Sciences., Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Reza Mikaeil Department of Mine Engineering, Urmia University of Technology, Iran Journal Article 2024 08 20 One of the most significant risks for investors in the dimension stone industry is the presence of natural discontinuities in the rock mass, which affect the quality of the extracted stone blocks. These discontinuities not only reduce extraction efficiency but also hinder the optimal utilization of the quarry. Therefore, it is essential to identify and analyze discontinuities in the rock before initiating any extraction activities and to assess the optimization of the extraction direction in dimension stone quarries. This study examines the key characteristics of discontinuities and joint sets, including their coordinates, strike, dip, spacing and aperture, in the Melika marble dimension stone quarry in Kerman. The collected data are then analyzed using 3DEC software to construct a quarry block model. Additionally, the azimuth rotation of different joint sets is investigated in four categories. The results obtained from the modeling indicate that, to achieve maximum blocking, the current extraction direction should be shifted 70° westward. This adjustment increases the number of blocks to 14,550, the average block volume to 5.5 m³, and the total volume of extracted stone to 79,918.9 m³. These changes are projected to generate approximately $3,180,000 in revenue for the quarry. The study highlights a practical optimization strategy that can significantly enhance the efficiency and profitability of dimension stone quarries by improving extraction direction based on discontinuity analysis. https://jme.shahroodut.ac.ir/article_3398_98e223b880054f54b04fce7720e64f50.pdf