METHOD OF KIMBERLITE PIPE MINING Russian patent published in 2003 - IPC

FIELD: mining industry, particularly, mining of remote kimberlite pipes in permafrost rocks under North extreme conditions. SUBSTANCE: development of remote kimberlite pipe is carried out by rotational method with construction of opencast vertical and inclined flanks and use of permafrost-protective coatings of slopes with glass cloth and reinforcing metal net with the help of rods. Safety berm with protective wall is left on opencast flank. Transportation operations inside opencast are carried out by battery-driven dump trucks, and on the surface, by dump trucks operated on gas fuel. Mined bulk is lifted by steeply inclined conveying hoists arranged in inclined shaft connected with opencast horizon by means of cross-entries. Ore is mined by continuous miners. Electrical power stations on opencast flank are formed of gas-diesel units supplied from gas-condensate deposits. EFFECT: reduced volume of removed overburden rocks from opencast, improved ecological conditions in region. 1 dwg, 3 tbl, 1 ex