Definition of caving system

i. A method of mining in which the support of a great block of ore is removed, allowed to cave or fall, and in falling to be broken sufficiently to be handled; the overlying strata subside as the ore is withdrawn. There are several varieties of the system.

See Also: block caving, fall, top slicing and cover caving, top slicing combined with ore caving

ii. Longwall coal mining in which excavated space (gob) is left to collapse.

See Also: sublevel