Jim Dowling - Mining Engineer
UNDERGROUND MINE PLANNING
To purchase a copy of my book, please email me at:- jim@jdowling.com
DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
Mine Development is all the essential roadways and other narrow excavations (as compared to stopes) which connect the mineral reserve and associated stoping operations to the surface outlet. The term Mine Development refers to both the network of connections and the act of creating them. A great deal of mine planning is required for all aspects of development. Most development occurs in waste rock, the disposal of which provides little or no revenue. Some mines, especially those working narrow veins, have to mine waste in developments at similar tonnage rates to the mining of ore in stopes. Mine planners have to consider several essential design factors when planning developments, the most important of which are:
Route
Size
Shape
Gradient
Number and Spacing |
Main types of mine development
Cross section of a typical single track metal mine development showing
track and services
Options of cross section shapes for mine developments
Key gradients in mining
Ventilation raises to surface are features on long, shallow level developments – perspective view
Ventilation raise to level above – perspective view
Main level development using two headings – perspective view
"In Seam" development using three headings – perspective view
Main level development of a steep vein showing crosscuts, lode drives and footwall drives in cross section
Main level development of a steep vein showing crosscuts, lode drives and footwall drives in plan view
Main level development of a steep vein without using footwall drives in cross section
Main level development of a steep vein without using footwall drives in plan view
Cross section showing crown and sill pillars protecting the lode drive from stoping activity
Plan view and cross sections showing a ‘mini’ footwall drive with drawpoint crosscuts
Boxhole raising from a footwall drive
Diamond drilling from a footwall drive
Longitudinal section showing conventional raising and some techniques to make it safer and easier
Main level development of a steep vein with an isometric view illustrating the main level vertical interval
Cross section of a flat dipping vein
Cross section showing why steep dipping veins require greater vertical intervals between levels
Longitudinal section showing the effect of pay shoot plunge angle on vertical level interval in a steeply dipping structure. In this case, the pay shoots are horizontal, plunge angle is 0° so main levels will be closer together to pick-up the lower pay limits
Longitudinal section showing the effect of pay shoot plunge angle on vertical level interval in a steeply dipping structure. In this case, the pay shoots are vertical, plunge angle is 90° so main levels can be spaced further apart
To purchase a copy of my book, please email me at:- jim@jdowling.com
Copyright © 2022 Jim Dowling