Mechanised Mine Development

The mechanization of mine development is becoming increasingly important in our South African and Southern African mines with increased emphasis on safe and efficient mining.

Raise, blind, and shaft boring offer mechanized solutions for excavations such as:-

  • reef raises
  • stope box holes and shaft ore passes
  • ventilation passes and shafts
  • Chairlifts
  • large vertical hoisting shafts (in excess of 1200 meters in depth)
  • angled hoisting shafts (from small to large diameter bored holes)

These techniques will be discussed with reference to relevant applications and the author’s comparison between conventional drill and blast techniques.