High power laser tunneling mining and construction equipment and methods of use

A method of tunneling, excavation or mining, by volumetric removal of material from a target using high power laser energy and mechanical energy, the method comprising:

• a. applying high power laser energy having at least 1 kW (kilowatt) of power sufficient to penetrate the material in a predetermined three dimensional pattern, corresponding to a predetermined volumetric shape, whereby the predetermined volumetric shape defines material directly contacted by the laser energy and material not directly contacted by the laser energy;
• b. removing at least some of the material directly contacted by the laser energy along the three dimensional pattern;
• c. weakening the material not directly contacted by the laser energy adjacent to the pattern, thereby creating laser energy affected areas of the material not directly contacted by the laser energy;
• d. the laser energy affected areas substantially occupying the predetermined volumetric shape;
• and,
• e. removing the material not directly contacted by the laser energy from the predetermined volumetric shape with a means to provide a force.