Mining in Manitoba
Drifts
Mine Development
Drift Cycle
In a freshly blasted heading, the first thing that is done is to scale or bar down loose rocks, then water the walls and muck pile to control dust.
Mucking out the blasted material comes next. Usually a mucking machine is used to fill ore cars.
After all of the muck is removed, the heading is rock bolted or timbered.
If no ground support is needed, then drilling of the next round is started. A jackleg drill is usually used but jumbo drills are becoming popular.
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 Jackleg Drill |
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A burn-cut round is used to break the advancing heading.
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Loading the round comes next. The first stick of explosive that goes into the hole is called the detonator stick, which contains the cap and fuse. The rest of the hole is then filled with explosive.
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Once the opening has been blasted the cycle starts again.
