Abstract: Liguanji Iron Mine is a typical steeply inclined Anshan-type sedimentary metamorphic iron deposit，and the ore bodies are mainly thin and medium-thick. The mine originally adopted the pillar upward horizontal cut-and-fill mining method，which has problems such as low mechanization degree， limited production efficiency and prominent potential safety hazards caused by open stope operation，mak⁃ ing it difficult to meet the requirements of safe and efficient production. To optimize the mining process and improve resource recovery rate and intrinsic safety level，a combined mining scheme dominated by the sub⁃ level open-stope subsequent filling mining method and supplemented by the original mining method was determined based on the engineering geological conditions of the mining area. Intelligent mining equipment was upgraded correspondingly，including CYTC70 mining drilling jumbo and remote-controlled scraper， realizing full-process mechanization and intellectualization of drilling，shoveling，transportation and hoist⁃ ing. An industrial test was carried out in the test stope arranged at the -575 m middle section. The applica⁃ tion results show that the ore drawing capacity per shift is increased by 112.50% to 1 191 t/shift; the ore block recovery rate is increased from 91.14% to 95.00%; the direct mining cost of stope is reduced by 25.25%; and the labor quota of stope is decreased by 25.00%. The optimized scheme eliminates manual open stope operation and adopts combined bolt-mesh-shotcrete support，which greatly improves the under⁃ ground operating environment. With reliable technology and prominent economic benefits，the optimized mining scheme is suitable for similar steeply inclined metamorphic iron mines，and can provide engineer⁃ing references for mining process upgrading of analogous mines.

Key words: mining method optimization, sublevel open-stope subsequent filling mining method, mechanized mining, steeply inclined iron mine, technical and economic indicators