MXPA99009909A - Softwall mining method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and device for mining slurryable minerals where the overburden (50) is unstable and subject to collapse when undercut. More or less parallel elongated trenches (60) are formed to the bottom of the mineral seam and connected by a perpendicular trench (66). A plurality of softwall mining devices (20), supported by face equipment (22) are placed in the perpendicular trench. The devices slurry the mineral material and move into the mineral seam (56). Overburden sloughs behind the mining devices. The subsided overburden (54) is supplemented as necessary with injected material. Slurried mineral flows to the parallel trenches (60) for removal to the surface. After the softwall devices have advanced the length of the parallel trenches (60), the devices are withdrawn and placed in additionally developed trenches elsewhere in the ore reserve.

Description

"METHOD AND LABORING DEVICE FOR SMOOTH WALL MINES" RELATED REQUESTS This application is a continuation application in part of the United States Application Serial Number 08/851, 680, filed by the same inventor on May 6, 1997, currently pending.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to the mine tillage field and, in particular, to a novel device and method for the working of shallow mineral deposits of thick suspension with earthy coating material in a long wall manner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE The mining of surface mines is and historically has been used to recover stratified minerals under depths of economic coating material. Underground mining is traditionally used when the depths of - - Coating material exceeds those economically removable by tilling surface mines or when a major surface alteration is unacceptable. The above dimensions have been patented for tillage of long wall reserves using an entrenched entrance where the coating material is competent enough to span above the long wall cutting and transport equipment, and where the floor layers are competent to withstand the efforts of mining. (See Simpson, U.S. Patent Number 4,017,122). Simpson does not accommodate soft, plastic, fluid, loose, unstable, clayey, sandy, dirt, earth, or similar (earthy) soil conditions, often encountered when extracting shallow mine deposits. Ground conditions may allow the roof of the mine to fall forward of the protection supports or allow the floor to collapse behind the front conveyor, in front of the protection pontoons. This creates safety risks, dilution of ores, and installation of expensive control. The present invention provides a means for exploiting the slurry ore reserves when the coating material is earthy. Floor conditions are also reduced to an insignificant issue.

BRIEF EXHIBITION OF THE INVENTION The idea of adapting long wall mining equipment and methods to recover the ore from thick slurry deposits with earthy coating material is novel. The term "smooth wall" is a new term applicable to this type of mining. In particular, the present invention is directed to the mining of phosphate matrix mines. A plurality of elongated, essentially parallel main trenches extend across the entire length of the area to be exploited. The trenches are nominally separated at 304.80 meters. The trenches at the head, essentially perpendicular to the trenches of the main compartment, are excavated for the placement and removal of the mining tillage equipment. Trenches are formed by excavating the coating materials to the upper surface of the ore bed. The ore bed in the trench is excavated separately and recovered in a beneficial way. The inclinations of the side wall of the trench are - deep as it is geologically reasonable and safe to minimize digging. The formation of a head trench leaves a long wall exposed. The smooth wall mine tillage equipment is installed in the head trench. The phosphate is then mined, for example, by forming a slurry of the ore as the mining equipment moves in a direction generally parallel to the trenches of the main compartment. Thick suspension ore flows into the trenches of the main compartment where it is removed to the surface for processing. Smooth wall tillage equipment includes an external hull to support the efforts of the coating material. The forward movement is created by extending a cutting head towards the ore reserve, and retracting the head in such a way as to pull forward the outer hull. The non-supported coating material behind the outer shell is encouraged to fill the cavity. When retrollencing is used, the materials are injected through the outer hull. Smooth and retrolled wall equipment operation is carried out automatically from the trench or surface controls.

When the smooth-wall minesweeper has traveled through a predetermined distance to the next leading trench, the equipment is removed and placed in another header trench for additional ore mines. Trenches not scheduled for additional use would be claimed. Alternatively, the equipment can be repositioned in the exit header and again advanced in the opposite direction to extract the next lower level of the ore seam. Another alternative would be to use several sets of smooth-walled mine tillage equipment in a thicker seam than a set of equipment can be exploited. The upper level would submit to mining first. The adjacent lower levels would be extracted with predetermined horizontal separation distances between the equipment sets. Yet another alternative, where the ore can collapse, is to place the smooth-walled mine tillage equipment at or near the bottom of the ore seam. With or without forward injection of the fluids into the ore seam, the slurry ore would collapse towards the smooth wall mine tillage equipment and move into the trenches of the main compartment.

- - Instead of using parallel main compartment trenches and a common header trench, a single main trench can be used with a header constructed in a "T" manner. A smooth-walled mine tillage equipment set would be placed on each branch of the head of the "T" with the thick suspension ore fed into the main trunk compartment trench. The equipment can operate in a spiral manner following the trenches of the main compartment constructed to be flanged in a continuous pattern through the ore stock. In addition to the objects and advantages described above, the smooth wall minesweeper of the present invention is also believed to: a. provides a more economical means to extract the ores from thick suspension; b. provide a means to remove areas by long wall methods under earthly coating material; c. provide a long wall mine tilling means without the use of the roof support compartment development; d. provide an alternative means for tilling sticky clay ore mines; Y - and. provide a means for mining of the material that varies from the solid to liquid phases without special concern for the phase.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows an isometric view of a smooth wall mined tiller according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a top or plan view of the smooth-wall mined tillage device of the invention. Figure 3 shows an end view of the smooth wall mined tillage device of Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4 shows an end view of the cutting head of the front trawl chamber with water jets or hydraulic transport . Figure 4A shows a more detailed view of the upper portion of the cutting head shown in Figure 4. Figure 4B shows a more detailed view of the lower portion of the cutting head seen in Figure 4.

Figure 5 shows a plurality of smooth wall mine tillage devices according to the invention, connected with a tension cable. Figures 6, 7 and 8 show the cooperative action of a plurality of smooth wall mines working devices that work together. Figure 9 shows the use of the smooth-walled mine tilling device of the invention in a body of ore thicker than the height of the device. Figure 10 shows the use of a plurality of smooth wall mine tilling devices of the invention, with two parallel main trenches and a perpendicular head trench. Figure 11 shows a plurality of smooth wall mine tillage devices used in the configuration of the alternative "T" trench.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES OF THE INVENTION A typical embodiment of the smooth wall minesmoke equipment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 1 to 4. Figure 1 is an isometric schematic view of a smooth wall mined tiller 10 in accordance with the invention. The device 10 - it consists of a front hydraulic transport chamber 20 partially enclosed within a back support shell or shell 22. The function of the device 10 is to remove an ore matrix away from the face of the ore. This is achieved by forwardly extending the hydraulic transport front chamber 20 from within the rear support bracket 22 through the actuation of the extension ram 24. The forward movement is improved by the action of a plurality of cutting edge injection nozzles 35 mounted in the hydraulic transport front chamber 20, which is also seen in detail in Figure 4A. The elongated slots 41 are provided to movably connect the tongue and groove edges of the forward hydraulic transport chamber 20 together with other smooth wall mining devices. Rigidly mounted on the back support bracket 22, the extension guides 26 provide directional thrust control for forward movement of the device. A plurality of rigidly mounted support reinforcements 30 provide vertical resistance to the forward hydraulic transport chamber 20. A retractable and extensible rotating ram or guide 38, pivotally mounted in both the hydraulic transport front chamber 20 and the extension and support assembly 28, provides vertical motion control. A plurality of back nozzles 31 extend through the back support 22 to apply fluids to the collapsed coating material. Figure 2 shows the smooth wall mining tilling device 10 in a plan view. The extension and retraction of the hydraulic transport front chamber 20 from the rear support bracket 22 is provided by the extension ram 24 fixedly attached to the back support 22 and to pivot the extension and support assembly 28. The extension and support assembly 28 is slidably fastened to both extension tracks 26 by means of a plurality of support and extension guide support assemblies 25 and directly to the inclined rotary ram 38. A plurality of pressurized water supply lines and electrical controls (Figure 3) and water division control units 34 are attached to the forward hydraulic transport chamber 20 to provide control of the pressure and volume of the injection fluid. A plurality of injection nozzles 32 preferably mounted angularly pressurized fed from each water injection control unit 34 is mounted in the forward hydraulic transport chamber 20 to supply fluid injection into the envelope of the forward transport chamber 20 hydraulic Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the cross section of mining tillage equipment 10. The front edge of a back support bracket 22 is typically bevelled to reduce forward strength. The inclined rotary guide 38 is fixedly connected to the rear portion of the hydraulic transport front chamber 20. A rigid support post 37 is rigidly mounted to the floor and ceiling of the back support bracket 22 to reinforce the device. An alignment hole 33 of the control line of the smooth wall system is provided in the extension guides 28. The overlapping side covers 27 are rigidly connected to the back support bracket 22 to reduce the possibility of foreign materials entering the device when used in combination with other smooth wall mines. Figure 4 shows a more detailed side view of the hydraulic transport front camera 20, with enlarged details or shown in Figures 4A and 4B. The pressurized injection fluid is supplied to the plurality of water injection control units 34 through the series of pressurized water supply mines and electric controls.

The water injection control units 34 are mounted on the outer surface of the hydraulic transport front chamber 20 and distributes the pressurized injection fluids to the respective pressurized injection nozzles 32 within the hydraulic transport front chamber 20. A plurality of nozzles 32 is mounted within the hydraulic transport front chamber 20 to inject the fluids into the ore to disintegrate the ore from its on-site condition to create a slurry. The hydraulic transport front chamber 20 is preferably machine-worked with a channel internal plate water conduit 42 (Figure 4A) to provide a conduit for fluid injection to run from the injection control units 34 of water to a penetration edge orifice 40 where fluids are injected through multiple cutter jet injection nozzles. The cutting edge injection nozzles 35 are rigidly mounted on the front edge of the hydraulic transport front chamber 20 to inject the fluids into the ore matrix and aid penetration. The seal 39 of the front hydraulic transport chamber (Figure 4B) provides a seat to prevent external materials from entering the envelope of the back support 22.

- Figure 5 shows in perspective view a plurality of smooth wall mine tilling devices 10 connected to a control line 29 of the smooth wall system through the alignment holes 33 of the smooth wall system control line . The control line 29 of the smooth wall system is secured with a constant tension device 64 flexibly attached to the upstream device in the flow of the slurry. Adjacent devices 10 are provided with overlapping seals 23 and 36 to minimize leakage of foreign materials to the devices. Figures 6 to 8 refer to the operation of the mining devices 10 of the smooth wall of the invention. There are a number of ways in which the devices of the invention can be operated. The following illustrations are not intended to be exhaustive but rather illustrate only some of the possible ways and sequences in which they can be used to recover the slurry material from the ore. Figure 6 is a schematic representation in plan view of the first step in the operation of smooth wall mine tilling devices 10. The devices are assembled along an ore matrix mining trench 56 with complete retraction of the hydraulic conveyor front chambers 20 in preparation for an extension thrust to the ore tilling face 56 of the ore matrix. conta an earthy coating material 54. The equipment 44 for surface compaction could be used on the surface for further compaction of the coating material. Figure 7 is a schematic representation in plan view of a second possible step in the operation of the devices 10 showing a forward sequence of the hydraulic transport front chamber 20 which is illustrated by the numbers 61 against the uniform alignment of the adjacent back support supports 22 which bear against the earth covering material 54. Figure 8 is a schematic representation showing a third step in the operation of the smooth wall mine tilling devices 10 in a plant list. In this step, the support units of the rear support supports 22 are advanced (i.e. they are retracted towards the hydraulic transport chambers) in a sequence shown by the numerals 63 in order to illustrate the direction of the advance of mine tilling, thereby causing the subsidence of the earth covering material 54 behind the devices 10.

- The three steps of the mine tillage cycle illustrated above are repeated to provide uninterrupted mine work and the flow of ore from the face of the mine tillage. The cycle of the steps of preference will occur in batches between groups of devices that feed the multiple main entrances at various points along the mine tilling face in such a way that all three steps are essentially contemporaneous at different positions throughout of the face to ensure its uniform advance. Figure 9 shows a multiple-pit mining sequence 68 with a smooth-wall minesweeper 10 or a set of devices in a ore body thicker than the height of the device. The same device 10 or the set of devices can be used to first extract the upper layer of the ore seam and then replace it to extract the additional lower layers, as desired, the thickness of each layer being essentially equal to the height of the mining tillage device. Alternatively, multiple devices or sets of devices can be positioned as seen in Figure 9, to sequentially pull each layer down from the top of the seam. This alternative could be carried out alternatively, by operating - - all the sets of mine tilling devices at the same time maintaining the relative position illustrated in Figure 1. The subsidence of the original coating surface 50 will occur in a stepwise manner possibly producing a surface 52 as the matrix 57 of ore is removed. Figure 10 illustrates the use of a plurality of smooth wall mining tine devices 10 with two parallel main trenches 60 and a perpendicular header trench 66 extending through the full width distance 59 of the compartment. A plurality of adjacent smooth-wall mine tillage devices 10 progress more or less in a direction parallel to an ore matrix mining trench face 56. A closed end 58 in a forward hydraulic transport chamber 20 in the middle of the face divides the trench 66 from the head, forcing the aqueous suspension ore to follow the flow directions 65 to the main trenches 60, where the ore Thick suspension is collected by a thick suspension handling equipment 62 from the trench gate which is placed at each end of the main trench for transport and processing. Figure 11 shows the use of a plurality of smooth wall mining tilling devices 10 using an alternative "T" trench configuration with two header trenches 66 feeding into a single primary trench 60 excavated during the development phase of the trench. mine.

Claims (16)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. A device for mining mineral mines comprising: a weight-bearing housing having substantially parallel horizontal roof and floor compartments, connected integrally in such a manner as to define a hull similar to a horizontal channel; a movable conduit having horizontal and essentially parallel horizontal upper and lower sections integrally connected to define a horizontal hydraulic transport chamber, with the front edges adapted for penetration towards the seam of the ore, the chamber being telescopically coupled with the helmet and includes means for mining of ore; and a means for extending and retracting the camera relative to the helmet.

A device for mining mineral mines according to claim 1, wherein the roof and floor compartments of the hull, and the upper and lower sections of the chamber are telescopically coupled and the chamber has a substantially semi-cylindrical rear portion.

3. A device for mining ore mines according to claim 1, wherein the means for extending and retracting the chamber relative to the hull includes a hydraulic ram.

4. A device for mining mineral mines according to claim 1, further comprising means for injecting fluids towards the front edges of the chamber to improve the forward movement of the device.

A device for mining mineral mines according to claim 1, wherein the means for mining ore mines includes a means for injecting fluids into the chamber in order to form a slurry of the ore.

6. A device for mining ore mines according to claim 1, wherein the chamber contains an auger to promote the evacuation of the ore from the device.

A device for mining ore mines according to claim 1, further comprising injectors mounted subsequently to distribute the materials towards the crushed coating material.

8. A device for mining mineral mines according to claim 1, wherein the front edges of the chamber are essentially aligned with a front opening of the helmet when the chamber is retracted, and the front edges of the chamber project towards outside with respect to the front opening of the helmet when the camera is removed.

9. A method for mining ore mines of an ore seam capable of forming a slurry placed beneath the earth covering material comprising the following steps: a) forming a first elongated trench from a predetermined first width to a depth essentially equal to the bottom of the seam; b) forming a second elongated trench of a second predetermined width having one end at one end of the first trench to form a smooth wall face; c) providing a plurality of smooth-walled mine tilling devices abutting against one side of the seam in the second trench, each device comprising a weight-bearing housing having essentially essentially parallel horizontal floor and ceiling compartments fully connected in such a manner. way to define a helmet similar to a horizontal channel; a movable pipe having substantially parallel horizontal upper and lower sections, integrally connected in such a manner as to define a hydraulic transport chamber similar to a horizontal channel with front edges adapted for penetration towards the ore seam, the chamber is telescopically coupled with the helmet and includes a means for tillage of mines in the ore; and means for extending and retracting the camera in relation to the case; d) advancing the smooth wall mining tillage devices in a direction generally perpendicular to the second trench to extract the seam by sequentially advancing the chambers of the adjacent devices in order to produce a peristaltic compression of the fluidized ore against the face of the seam.

10. A method according to claim 9, where mining is accomplished by advancing a plurality of sets of smooth-walled mine tillage devices, placed in several overlapping elevations in the seam as follows: i. Place a first set of smooth wall mines tilling devices to form a slurry of ore from a top of the seam to a base of the first set of smooth wall mines tillage devices; ii. place a second set of smooth wall mine tillage devices to form a slurry of the ore from the base of the first set of smooth wall mine tillage devices to a base of the second set of wall mining tillage devices smooth and iii. place any additional set of smooth-walled mine tillage devices to form a slurry of ore from a base of an immediately higher set of smooth-walled mine tillage devices to a base of the additional set, until the seam the ore is extracted to a predetermined degree.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the mining operation is achieved in the following manner: i. place a set of smooth wall minesweeper to form a thick suspension of the ore from the top of the seam; ii. proceed with the play of the smooth wall mines till a predetermined distance through the seam; iii. replacing the set of smooth wall mine tilling devices to a new upper part of the seam produced by step ii; iv. proceed with the set of smooth wall mine tillage devices up to a predetermined distance through the seam; and V. replacing the set of smooth wall mine tilling devices to a new upper part of the seam produced by step iv; saw. repeat steps iv and v until a predetermined amount of stitching has been removed.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein a third elongated trench is formed essentially parallel to the first trench, and at the other end of the second trench not connected to the first trench to provide exhaust of the extracted heavy slurry ore. towards either or both of the first and third trenches.

A method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of providing injectors mounted on the rear part of the weight bearing helmet and distributing the fluid material therethrough to the crushed covering material.

A method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of injecting the fluids from the front edges of the chamber to improve forward movement of the device.

15. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of injecting the fluids into the chamber to produce a thick suspended ore.

16. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of providing an auger in the hydraulic transport chamber to promote the evacuation of the ore formed in slurry from the device.