Underground mining system

Abstract

Hydraulic underground mining system adapted to operate through a small diameter well bore and into a subterranean body and including a mining capsule carried on the lower end of an elongate support structure. The mining capsule includes a liquid jet nozzle at its upper end for forming a laterally directed jet stream to impact material in the ore body and to pulp the same into a slurry. An orifice having a grate for preventing entry of excessively large material is positioned below the jet so that freshly pulped slurry flows into the orifice, the latter being connected to an elongate positive displacement pump mounted below the orifice. Suitable hydraulic power means are provided for operating the pump and for progressively moving the jet stream .[. .]. .Iadd.through .Iaddend.at least a portion of an arc. Fixed liquid jets are also provided at the pump inlet for flushing and priming and to the lowermost portion of the capsule and to facilitate movement of the apparatus in the well bore.

We claim: 
     
       1. Hydraulic mining apparatus for operating through a well bore drilled into a subterranean body to be mined, comprising an elongate support structure, means for suspending said support structure in said well bore, a mining capsule carried on the lower end of said support structure, said mining capsule comprising means at its upper end for hydraulically mining said ore body including jet means for developing a laterally directed liquid jet stream to impact material in said body and pulp the same into a slurry, means for moving said jet means back and forth through at least a partial arc, means forming a discharge orifice positioned below said jet and including grate means for preventing excessively large chunks of material from entering said orifice, means forming an elongate positive displacement pump positioned below said orifice and connected thereto so that pulped slurry flows through said grate and orifice and into pump under gravity, hydraulic power means for driving said pump, piping means for connecting said hydraulic power means to the ground level end of said apparatus, and a slurry discharge line connected to the outlet end of said pump, said discharge piping extending upwardly to the ground level end of said apparatus and through said support structure. 
     
     
       2. Hydraulic mining apparatus as in claim 1 in which said positive displacement pump is of a linear type including means for forming a succession of cavities linearly arranged and progressively moveable in either direction of said pump whereby said pump may be reversed or operated in a positive sense to provide for flushing and start-up pumping. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as in claim 2 further including a flushing jet connected to the inlet end of said pump for flooding the same during start-up and for controlling the liquid content of slurry during operation. 
     
     
       4. Hydraulic mining apparatus as in claim 1 further including a cylindrical shroud extending the length of said apparatus and serving to stabilize the well bore in which said apparatus is positioned. 
     
     
       5. Hydraulic mining apparatus as in claim 1 in which said pump and the .[.motor.]. .Iadd.power .Iaddend.means for operating said pump and for moving said jet means are located in the lowermost portion of said capsule and beneath said orifice. 
     
     
       6. Hydraulic mining apparatus as in claim 1 including a flushing jet positioned at the lowermost end of said apparatus and directed downwardly therefrom for facilitating movement of said apparatus in said well bore. .Iadd. 7. Mining apparatus for operating through a subterranean bore extending from the exterior surface of the ground and into a subterranean body of friable material to be mined, comprising support means, a mining assembly carried by the support means within the bore and in the region of the body, the mining assembly being a compact structural unit dimensioned with respect to the dimensions of the bore to enable the same to be transported into the bore to a desired position within the body, the assembly unit including jet means for discharging a liquid jet stream into the body to impact the material in the body and pulp the same into a slurry, means for moving the jet means through at least a partial arc whereby a cavity is progressively formed in the body from which the slurry flows toward the assembly unit, the assembly unit having an opening located below the zone of operation of the jet means and disposed to receive the slurry flow, a grate disposed in the opening for preventing excessively large chunks of material from entering said opening, an elongated mechanical pump forming a part of the assembly unit and having an inlet at one end of the same and a discharge outlet at the other end, the inlet being connected to receive slurry flowing through the opening and the grate, the pump being in general alignment with the bore, means for driving the pump, means including piping connected to the outlet of the pump and extending through the bore from one end of the unit to the ground surface for the discharge of slurry, and means including piping extending through the bore from the ground surface for delivering liquid under pressure to the jet means. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 8. Mining apparatus as in claim 7 in which the bore extends downwardly and the assembly is an elongated unit that includes the jet means, the grate, and the pump, and means for supplying driving power to the pump from the surface of the well. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 9. Mining apparatus for operating through a well bore extending down into a subterranean body of friable material to be mined, comprising a support means, a mining assembly carried by said support means within the well bore, the mining assembly being a compact structural unit dimensioned with respect to the dimensions of the bore to enable the same to be transposed into the bore to a desired position within the body, said mining assembly unit comprising means for hydraulically mining said ore body including jet means for developing a laterally directed liquid jet stream to impact material in said body and pulp the same into a slurry, means for moving said jet means through at least a partial arc whereby a cavity is progressively formed in the body from which the slurry flows toward the assembly unit, means forming a slurry receiving opening positioned below the zone of operation of the jet means and including grate means for preventing excessivley large chunks of material from entering said opening, an elongated mechanically driven pump forming a part of the assembly unit and having an inlet at one end of the same and a discharge outlet at the other end, the inlet being connected to the opening so that pumped slurry flows through said grate and opening and into the intake at the lower end of said pump, the pump being in general alignment with the bore, means for supplying driving power to the pump from the upper ground surface, a slurry discharge line connected to the outlet of the pump, said discharge line extending upwardly through the bore to the ground level, and means including piping extending through the bore from the ground surface for deliverying liquid under pressure to the jet means. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 10. Mining apparatus as in claim 9 in which the assembly is in the form of an elongated unit which includes the jet means, the slurry receiving opening and grate means, and the pump, all disposed along the length of the unit. .Iaddend.