Modes of Entries

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A deposit to be mined by underground methods can be accessed by any of the following types of mine
openings or their combination:
• Adit
• Decline/Ramp
• Inclined shaft
• Vertical shaft.
• Combination

Adits can be driven across (as shown in figure), or along the strike direction of the deposit.
Most Economical when the mineable reserves are above the floor elevation of the valley. If deposit
extends below the adit level, then declines or shafts are to be sunk

Applicability:
1. Hilly deposits and topography is such that a level drift from foothill can cut the deposit
2. Outcrop should be above the level of loading point
3. Sufficient space should be available at the mouth of the adit to facilitate the construction of surface
facilities.

Adv
1. Cheapest means of access. It can be equipped with Loco/Conv and large outputs can be handled
2. Cost of driving and support per meter length are less ( one fifth or one seventh of shaft)
3. Water drainage expenses are less

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Decline/Ramp can also be driven to join different
horizons in underground mines. Shallow flatly
dipping deposit or steeply dipping deposits extending
from shallow depth to a considerable depth can be
accessed, at the earliest by declines, as shown in fig.
Applicability:
1. Low ventilation requirement- 60-100 m3/s
2. Length of haul- 2-3 km of incline, beyond which it
may be difficult or uneconomic
3. Production- low 0.75 Mt upto a depth of 250m
0.5Mt upto depth of 300m

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Shaft: High output, higher depth, high
ventilation requirement, and bad rock
conditions(weak or water bearing strata)
single shaft can go upto a depth of 1200-
2000 m, Beyond which multiple shafts
Inclined shaft: Thin, flat or inclined deposit,
low ventilation requirement with small
depth

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Shaft serves deeper levels, which could be tracked or
trackless.
For steeply inclined, almost vertical or deep-seated flat
deposits access by a vertical shaft is an obvious choice
as shown in figure .
If shaft is allowed to pass through the deposit, a
protective pillar is required to be left in the orebody.
Positioning the shaft in f/w side requires drifting the
crosscuts.
Accessing a steeply inclined vein type deposit by an
inclined shaft give advantage of short cross cutting in
the barren rock, as shown in fig.
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Incline (fig. ) can be driven in the overlying
strata of a flatly dipping shallow deposit.
An inclined deposit of low thickness
commencing from a shallow depth can be
accessed by an incline driven from surface
and passing through the deposit itself.
It can also be driven in the f/w side as
illustrated in figure Multiple seams can be
accessed by an incline driven in the f/w most
(bottom most) seam and connecting it by the
cross measure drifts, as shown in figure
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Condition of depth, dip and out
cropping/incropping
Moderate depth, vertical or
horizontal deposit
Moderate depth, inclined
outcropping deposit
Mod depth, inclined deposit with
incrop
Great depth- vert/hor deposit
Great depth, inclined
Discussions Selection
Vertical shaft
Vertical shaft intersecting the Vert-600 – Vert
deposit at the half the proposed 60-30 -- Incl
depth, as dip reduces – length of 30-15 Incl+ sub vert
crosscuts increases with vertical <15 Incl+ vert for vent.
shaft.
Flat dip – length of incline is too
long, hence additional vertical
shaft for lower levels, inclined
continues as sub incline.
-Ore body does not out crop within 90-60 Vertical
the property 60-15 Vert+sub-incl/sub-vert
-Vertical striking the deposit at the <15 - vertical
mid depth
-Vertical for upper levels + sub
incline for deeper levels
Vertical
To bring the mine in production Verical+ sub-vrical/sub- inclined
stage at an early date- vertical shaft
close to shallow boundary with sub
vertical/incline depending on dip
of deposit
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Until recently, the deepest single lift winder was Hartebeestfontein Gold Mine No. 6 shaft at
2 490 m deep. Gold mining in South Africa is already done at around 4 000 m below surface, and
utilises secondary and tertiary (underground) shafts to exploit the deep ore bodies.

At South Deep of Western Areas/Placer Dome, the Vent Shaft was sunk to 2760 m and the
sinking of the Main Shaft was very recently completed at 2995 m below surface. Both these
shafts were sunk from surface, which makes them the deepest shafts ever sunk "in one go".
The permanent winders of the Main Shaft will have suspended rope lengths of just more than
3 000 m.

The rope load factors and code of practice that were used for the stage and kibble winders at
South Deep were those developed.

Within this year, the longest single lift wind in the world will be at Moab Khotsong of Anglogold.
The maximum suspended rope length will be of the order of 3 100 m. The shaft, on which this
winder will operate, was sunk in two stages because of changes to the originally planned layout
of the mine.

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• Total investment cost for shaft hoisting and ramp haulage
increases almost linearly with depth. However the slope of shaft
hoisting is bigger than the slope of ramp haulage.
• Total ore transport cost for ramp is higher than the cost of shaft
hoisting after the level of -370 m. This criterion indicates that
the ramp haulage has a cost advantage over the shaft hoisting
for upper levels in earlier depth. After the depth of 370 m, shaft
hoisting becomes superior over the ramp haulage.
• On the other hand the general approach to mining applications
show that the near surface underground mines are better
suitable to ramp systems. The calculations carried out in this
study confirm approximately this point of view. Additional to that
other criteria such as flexibility of system, selectivity and
suitability for mechanization support such approaches in
general. (South Africa_UG_mine transport_selection)

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 Shaft
1. Applicability:
Large, deep, flat deposit, for intermediate
to poor material condition(water bearing
or weak strata), high production rates and
where ventilation requirements are high
2. Construction
a. more expensive to construct/m of
advance. Overall cost reduces with depth
b. Drivage is difficult
C. overall construction time is less for
deeper deposit
d. requires elaborate surface arrangement
during sinking
3. Mineral Transport
a. limited to between 2.2-4.4
Mt/annum/shaft
b. Intermittent transport of mineral. Feed
to preparation plant is evened out by
surface bunkers or stockpiles
c. Adequate pit bottom bunkerage is
essential
d. Inspection and maintenance is carried
out from winding system
4. Men transport
a. High capacity and shortest time between
surface and pit bottom
b. Capacity of second egress at mineral
shaft is limited to around 30-40% of main
shaft
Drift/Incline
Shallow, flat deposits, dry and strong
strata and where ventilation
requirements are low
a. cost/m of length is comparatively low
but length of drift is high. Overall cos
reduces with depth and are
comparatively higher after a depth
b. drivage is easier in good ground
c. Overall construction time is less for
shallow deposits
d. surface arrangements are not too
complicated
a. no significant limit on capacity. Up to
12 Mt/annum is achievable
b. Continuous feed to preparation plant
but stockpiles are essential to even out
peak and cover breakdown
c. Drift bottom bunkerage is desirable
for smooth flow and to cove belt
stoppages
d. Drift inspection by haulage installed
for men and material transport on
conveyor drift
a. Capacity same as shaft but time
between surface and pit bottom is
higher
b. Maintenance haulage in conveyor
drift may only give limited second
egress but conv. can be equipped for
man riding or men could walk out on20a
power failure
5. Material transport
a. Large equipment can be
accommodated but this can not
always be utilized due to restriction of
transfer points underground
b. Speedier transport of material
6. Repair & Maintenance
Difficult
7. Ventilation
a. Offers low resistance to airflow
b. Capable of handling large quantity
of air
8. Miscellaneous
a. Allows better arrangement of
electric & other cables, water and
compressed air pipes
b. Circular shafts are stronger
c. Widening and deepening is difficult
a. Equipment size is limited by drift
dimensions but they will be
commensurate with underground
workings
b. Slow transport of material
Easy
a. Offers comparatively higher
resistance
b. Capable of handling comparatively
smaller quantity of air
a. They are required to be hung from
the sides and the length of these items
required is higher
b. Drifts comparatively less stronger
(Rectangular shape)
c. Deepening is easier. Widening if
required is also easier
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Construction time drift in India:
1.5 m/day drift advance at 1 in 4, 35m/month
for 500 m length (125 m vertical depth) 400 days including installation
including open excavation for 15-20 m : 150 days
Total 22 months (550 working days)

Shaft sinking rate 15-20 m/month  record 88m/month Jhanjhara

Construction schedule (weeks) Prod 4530 t/d or 1.35 Mt/annum

Depth Shaft 6.1 m dia Slope/drift -15drg 22 sq m

Construction Equipment Total Construction Equipment Total
305 43.7 20.3 64.0 46.2 5.80 52.0
610 65.0 25.0 90.0 85.0 9.0 94.0
914 85.0 28.0 113.0 124.1 16.9 141.0

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 Location of Shaft or Mining Centre

Steps:
1. Select optimum location on surface
2. Considering site specific conditions,
locate the shaft on surface as far as
possible to optimum location

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• 1. Optimum Location of mine opening:
– Criteria:
• Minimum Transport effort
• Minimum cost of transportaion

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• Minimum Transport effort:
– Transport effort work done in moving one
tonee of material through one km is One T-Km

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 D
H
DIP

C s ∂
s
∂
l

B
A S

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Total reserve = S.H.m (m= unit content,
t/m2)
H/S=a2 , S.H= S2a2=F

Reserve content in element = m.∂s. ∂ h

S Hm.∂s. ∂ h
TE   
Transport Effort (TE)= (s+h).
(s  h). m.s.  h
0 0

1 a2
TE  m.F 3/ 2
( )
2a 27
 1 a2
TEa  m.F 3/ 2
( )
2a
1  2a 2
TEb  mF (
3/ 2
)
4a
3/ 2 2  a
2
TEc  mF ( )
4a
1 a 2
TEd  mF 3/ 2
( )
4a 28
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Al  Ar  A 2
B
Bu  1

1  (bu
  1
)
b
d

B
Bd  1

1  (bd
  1
)
b u 36
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 2 Km

1.8Km

3 Km

0.9167
KB  b q
0.2789
L
bs  115 106 bu  120 106 bd  125 106
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• Factors to be considered for Surface Location of shaft
– Availability of sufficient flat land (10-100 ha)
– Close to Railway,Roads and Power lines
– Availability of adequate safe disposal areas
– Availability of water supply
– Possibility of future expansion
– Surface facilities needing protective pillars should be sited above bad
geological conditions of deposit( conservation, higher % of extraction)
– On outside the outcrop area/over footwall outside the angle of draw
– Avoid bad strata conditions (Water-bearing strata, low stability rocks,
very hard rocks)
– Above HFL/ avoid low-lying areas
– Minimum grading and earthwork for site preparation
– Good ground from point of view of foundation of large structures
– Hilly region, there should be no danger of land slides
– Avoid good agricultural land/ forest areas

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