You are on page 1of 10

DEWATERING A MINE

LECTURE #27-28-29
 It is defined as “ to drain out water, or to dispose –
off, or to transport water from a mine”.

 A mining excavation receiving water from various


sources, may generate variety of operational and
logistic problems to the mining operations.

 Once the water has entered the excavation it has


to be drain-off from the mine.
 Here attention should be given, before water can
enter into an excavation, mine should be
prevented from the entry of water.

 Hence, mine dewatering techniques are


implemented by;

1. PREVENTIVE MEASURES

2. PROTECTIVE MEASURES
 These measures are used to keep the water from
entering into mine.

 It is more economical to keep water out of mine


than to drain-out it after it has entered into mine
workings.
 Each gallon of water that is prevented from
entering the mine is the one less gallon that has to
be collected, transported, and disposed-off.

1.PREVENTIVE MEASURES
 The aim of such techniques is to prevent or delay
inflow of water or reduce its intensity.

 The following important measures are to be taken


for the prevention purpose;

1) Reduce, postpone or avoid inflow,


a) by locating excavation or shaft in least permeable
ground,

1.PREVENTIVE MEASURES
b) By retreat mining from bottom to top.
2. Divert, drain or intercept water near surface,
a) Divert drain streams, lakes, rivers, etc.
b) Catch water in ditches or in shafts to prevent inflow
to the deeper sections of mine.
3. Protective layers and barriers
a) By leaving enough solid ground between mine and
water,
b) By leaving pillars on fissures to minimize inflow.

1.PREVENTIVE MEASURES
 The following precautions can be established to
keep away the water from a mine or to minimize
the inflow;
i. Avoiding the sitting of shaft, bore hole and other
opening in low spots on the surface,

ii. Fluming and other measures can prevent


surface run-off entering in mine,

1.PREVENTIVE MEASURES
iii. Preventing the water influx when aquifer might
be more difficult,

iv. Shafts should have water tight collars,


sufficiently high above the ground to prevent
water flowing into shaft

1.PREVENTIVE MEASURES
 Some more important ways of preventing water
influx in mines include;
i. Design of excavation minimizes breaking to
aquifers or to surface through appropriate
width/depth(w/d)ratio.
ii. Proper sitting of shafts to avoid low spots and
the use of pre-grouting during sinking and
lining of the shafts

1.PREVENTIVE MEASURES
iii.Providing adequate pillar support under water
bodies or underground aquifer, or alternatively
providing mine pillar design based on proper
(w/d)ratio.
iv. Connecting all exploratory drill holes so that
water can not accumulate into them.
v. Keeping test holes properly dried ahead of
active workings when approaching a suspected
abandoned mine using the old workings as a
sump

1.PREVENTIVE MEASURES

You might also like