Mine shaft and adit closure apparatus and method

A method of using a platform and a plurality of expansion foam containers to form a mine shaft closure, the expansion foam containers having an inner pouch containing a first expansion foam component and an outer pouch containing the inner pouch and a second expansion foam component, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. positioning the platform within the mine shaft at a predetermined location;
• b. for each expansion foam container
• (1) applying mechanical force to the expansion foam container to break the inner pouch, thereby combining the first and second expansion foam components within the inner pouch;
• (2) mixing together the first and second expansion foam components within the outer pouch;
• and
• (3) placing the expansion foam container on the platform;
• wherein for each expansion foam container the first and second expansion foam components combine within the outer pouch to form an expansion foam slowly enough to provide sufficient time for the expansion foam container to be placed on the platform, the expansion foam bursting the outer pouch to form an expansion foam plug above the platform.

An adit closure apparatus comprising:

• first and second bulkheads having substantially the outline dimensions of a cross section of the adit, the first bulkhead being positioned within the mine shaft at a first predetermined location and the second bulkhead being positioned within the mine shaft at a second predetermined location;
• a plurality of expansion foam containers each having an inner pouch and an outer pouch formed from a liquid-impervious flexible film material, the inner pouch containing a first expansion foam component, the outer pouch containing the inner pouch and a second expansion foam component;
• and
• an expansion foam plug formed between the first and second bulkheads from the expansion foam containers by breaking the inner pouch of each expansion foam container and placing each expansion foam container between the first and second bulkheads;
• wherein for each expansion foam container the first and second expansion foam components combine within the outer pouch to form an expansion foam slowly enough to provide sufficient time for the expansion foam container to be placed between the first and second bulkheads, the expansion foam bursting the outer pouch to form the expansion foam plug between the first and second bulkheads.

A method of using first and second bulkheads and a plurality of expansion foam containers to form an adit closure, the expansion foam containers having an inner pouch containing a first expansion foam component and an outer pouch containing the inner pouch and a second expansion foam component, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning the first bulkhead within the adit at a first predetermined location and the second bulkhead within the adit at a second predetermined location;
• (b) for each expansion foam container
• (1) applying mechanical force to the expansion foam container to break the inner pouch, thereby combining the first and second expansion foam components within the outer pouch;
• (2) mixing together the first and second expansion foam components within the outer pouch;
• and
• (3) placing the expansion foam container between the first and second bulkheads;
• wherein for each expansion foam container the first and second expansion foam components combine within the outer pouch to form an expansion foam slowly enough to provide sufficient time for the expansion foam container to be placed between the first and second bulkheads, the expansion foam bursting the outer pouch to form an expansion foam plug between the first and second bulkheads.