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US 4,458,947 AGranted
Mining method
AssigneeBoart International Limited
InventorsRobert J. Hopley, Wynand J. van der Westhuizen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A deep level mining method wherein conventional mining takes place to recover ore and pillars are left for support purposes. The ore in the pillars is recovered before or after their formation by drilling overlapping holes into the reef in the pillars. The holes are plugged thereafter to restore the supporting function of the pillars.
Claims10
A deep level ore mining method comprising the steps of:
- (a) excavating an access area of sufficient size to receive drilling equipment, said access area defining an overhead hanging wall and a generally vertical rock face;
- (b) demarcating portions of the rock face;
- (c) drilling one or more holes spaced from each other in each said demarcated portion to recover ore contained therein;
- (d) substantially filling at least some of said holes;
- and
- (e) mining the rock face about each demarcated portion to recover ore between adjacent demarcated portions, utilizing mining techniques wherein a major part of the ore between the demarcated portions is recovered without drilling so that said demarcated portions are formed as free standing pillars unsupported along all vertically extending faces thereof, said pillars being of sufficiennt strength to avoid collapse thereof after mining operations cease.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.