What is tunnel in mining?
A horizontal or inclined stone drivage for development or to connect mine workings, seams, or shafts. It may be open to the surface at one end and used for drainage, ventilation, or haulage or as a personnel egress (walking or riding) from the mine workings.
How does tunnel mining work?
It involves drilling a section of ore at the very bottom of the deposit and then blasting to make the roof collapse. Gravity then takes over, as the ore above the blast site fractures and collapses in succession as support is withdrawn. The collapsed ore is hauled out the mine for processing [source: Great Mining].
How are mine tunnels built?
Tunnels have many uses: for mining ores, for transportation—including road vehicles, trains, subways, and canals—and for conducting water and sewage. So-called cut-and-cover tunnels (more correctly called conduits) are built by excavating from the surface, constructing the structure, and then covering with backfill.
How deep can Mines go?
List of deepest mines
| Rank | Name of mine | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mponeng Gold Mine | 4.0 km (2.5 mi) |
| 2 | TauTona Mine | 3.9 km (2.4 mi) |
| 3 | Savuka Gold Mine | 3.7 km (2.3 mi) |
| 4 | East Rand Mine | 3.585 km (2.228 mi) |
What kind of things do you see in a tunnel?
Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers. Utility tunnels are used for routing steam, chilled water, electrical power or telecommunication cables, as well as connecting buildings for convenient passage of people and equipment.
What are the types of tunneling?
There are three basic types of tunnel construction in common use:
- Cut-and-cover tunnel, constructed in a shallow trench and then covered over.
- Bored tunnel, constructed in situ, without removing the ground above.
- Immersed tube tunnel, sunk into a body of water and laid on or buried just under its bed.