Underground Mining Methods
Underground mining is a method of mining that involves the excavation of tunnels and underground passages. The majority of underground mining operations involve the extraction of ore and other materials from hard rock deposits. However, it is also possible to extract coal and oil from underground deposits of various types. This article will discuss the various methods of underground mining that are commonly used to exploit mineral resources.
The most common type of underground mining is referred to as “room and pillar”, which involves the construction of a series of interconnected rooms and pillars that support the roof and walls of the underground excavation. The size of the rooms and pillars will depend on the size of the orebody and the type of ore being extracted. Room and pillar mining is particularly suited for narrow vertical deposits, such as veins of ore or coal in a shale formation. Many room and pillar operations involve the extraction of ore with a continuous mining machine that cuts through the ore and deposits it onto an underground conveyor belt for transportation to the surface.
Another common underground mining method is “cut and fill”. In this method, excavations are first made in a horizontal direction, and then filled in with ore from the lower levels. This method is particularly practical in steeply dipping orebodies and allows for easier extraction of ore from the upper level. The cut and fill method is commonly used in conjunction with stoping, which is a method of removing ore in vertical slices.
Sub-level caving is a form of underground mining that is used to extract ore from deep vertical orebodies. In this method, a series of interconnected tunnels are dug in order to access the orebody. As the tunnels progress, the ore is extracted by blasting, and then surface mining machinery is used to load it onto large trucks. Block caving is a form of sub-level caving that involves the use of explosives to create large vertical caverns in which the ore can be loaded and removed from the bottom.
Another common underground mining method is “longwall” mining, which involves the use of a longwall shearer to cut panels of ore from the deposit. The ore is then loaded onto a conveyor belt, which transports it to the surface or to storage facilities. Longwall mining operations can be very efficient, as they are able to remove large amounts of ore in a single operation.
In conclusion, there are a variety of methods for underground mining that are used to extract ore and other materials from hard rock deposits. Room and pillar mining is used to extract ore from narrow vertical deposits, while cut and fill and other sub-level caving methods are used to extract ore from deep vertical orebodies. Longwall mining is used to remove large panels of ore in a single operation and is a particularly efficient form of underground mining.
