Method and System for Mining
AssigneeNovamera Inc.
InventorsStephen Douglas Butt, Allan R. Cramm, Jeronimo De Moura Junior
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for mining narrow vein deposit of ore, the narrow vein deposit having a hanging wall and a foot wall, the method comprising: drilling a pilot hole into the narrow vein deposit along a path substantially centrally between the hanging wall and the foot wall to a depth within the vein; following the pilot hole with a larger diameter drilling assembly to fragment the ore into drill cuttings; circulating the drill cuttings to a wellhead; and collecting the drill cuttings for processing to recover the ore therefrom.
Claims19
A method for mining a narrow vein deposit of ore, the narrow vein deposit having a hanging wall and a foot wall, the method comprising:
- drilling a pilot hole with a pilot hole diameter into the narrow vein deposit along a path substantially centrally between the hanging wall and the foot wall to a depth within the vein;
- following the pilot hole with a hole opening drilling assembly having a diameter larger than the pilot hole diameter to fragment the ore around the pilot hole into drill cuttings;
- circulating the drill cuttings with a fluid flow up to a wellhead;
- and collecting the drill cuttings for processing to recover the ore therefrom.
A mining system for mining a narrow vein deposit of ore, the system comprising:
- a drilling rig;
- a pilot hole drilling assembly including a drill head for drilling a pilot hole in the ore, a downhole survey tool for locating a hanging wall and a foot wall of the narrow vein deposit relative to the pilot hole and a directional assembly for directing the drill head along a path between the hanging wall and the foot wall;
- a hole opener assembly including an end configured to follow the pilot hole and a hole opener drill configured to drill a borehole with a larger diameter than the pilot hole to fragment the ore into drill cuttings;
- and
- a fluid circulation subsystem to move a fluid through the well to circulate the drill cuttings from the borehole to a well head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.