Note:
All financial amounts expressed
throughout this report are in US dollars.

Safety First

Safety case study

Improving Safety and Efficiency in Ground Support

Resolution Copper is currently developing a 28-foot diameter shaft that, when completed, will have an overall length of over 7,000 feet. The shaft will be sunk through many different types of ground requiring different ground support philosophies, including many that require shotcrete as part of the primary support system.

Shotcrete has been used for many years as a means of support for many different types of ground encountered in mine development. In recent years, the focus has shifted somewhat into designing high early-strength shotcrete for rapid development. These high early-strength shotcrete mixes are commonly applied before the next blast is taken and are the first line of defense during the development process to ensure safety for the shaft-sinking team. The high early strengths achieved by these new mixes have made it routinely possible to re-enter a heading within one hour of spraying the shotcrete in order to complete the ground support installation. Until now, this methodology has been predominately used for lateral development, but other applications are currently being investigated. One application in particular is the use of shotcrete in traditional shaft sinking environments.

Resolution Copper has embarked on a scoping study focused on designing shotcrete for use in shaft sinking. The shotcrete will eliminate the need for mesh and reduce the number of bolts or, in some types of ground, potentially eliminate the need for bolts. The focus of this design is to: provide the same or better levels of support while eliminating the risks associated with installing mesh, and eliminate the need for miners to be near an open face when installing support. Obviously, there is a significant amount of work that is still necessary to prove the concept and its viability in the shaft environment, but the work so far is pointing toward success.