Mining method

Abstract

A method of mining comprising the steps of introducing a mining head into a borehole fracturing the ore with the mining head and extracting the fractured ore through a borehole to a location remote from the mining head.

1 . A method of mining comprising the steps of:
 introducing a mining head into a borehole;   fracturing the ore with the mining head; and   extracting the fractured ore through a borehole to a location remote from the mining head;   
       wherein the steps of fracturing the ore and extracting the fractured ore to a location remote from the mining head are controlled remote from the mining head and wherein the step of fracturing the ore, radially expands the borehole. 
     
     
         2 . A method of mining in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the steps of:
 fracturing the ore with the mining head; and   extracting the fractured ore through a borehole to a location remote from the mining head;   
       are conducted simultaneously. 
     
     
         3 . A method of mining in accordance with  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the borehole containing the mining head is the mining borehole and the borehole through which fractured ore is extracted is the extraction borehole and the mining borehole and the extraction borehole are the same borehole or different boreholes. 
     
     
         4 . A method of mining in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ore is fractured by mechanical ablation, laser spalling, flame or heat spalling, plasma spalling, water jet ablation, electrical ablation, sonic ablation, freezing ablation, chemical dissolution or leaching or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A method of mining in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fractured ore is extracted in an extraction duct. 
     
     
         6 . A method of mining in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises the further step of:
 cooling the mine face either simultaneously with the step of fracturing the ore or subsequent to the step of fracturing the ore.   
     
     
         7 . A method of mining in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mining head comprises a laser mining head. 
     
     
         8 . A method of mining in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the laser mining head is in communication with a laser source located remotely from the laser mining head. 
     
     
         9 . A method of mining in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises the further step of:
 generating and delivering a laser beam to a mine face.   
     
     
         10 . A method of mining in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the laser beam is continuous or pulsed. 
     
     
         11 . A method of mining in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the step of extracting the fractured ore is conducted by air vacuum suction, venturi, water injection and slurry pumping, mud injection and density floatation, mechanical means or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A method of mining in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises the further step of:
 determining the location of the ore.   
     
     
         13 . A method of mining in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mining head is provided with means to monitor and record operations.