Shaft mining is a process to access underground mining facilities. The central shaft, known as a service cage, transports personnel and has branches called levels or galleries. Skip buckets transport ore and caissons provide water, fuel, and ventilation. A butt frame raises and lowers winch elevators, while head frames store ores.
Shaft mining, also known as shaft sinking, is a type of mining process used to vertically access an underground mining facility. There are many different components that make up the tree, which play a very important role in the extraction process. The entrance to a well can have different names, depending on whether the entrance is above or below ground. If it is above ground, it is commonly called a well or portal; if the entrance is underground, it is known as a winze. Winzes, however, are only used in deep well mining to connect the lower parts of the mine.
The vertical central shaft of a shaft mine is known as a service cage and is typically used to transport personnel. Just like a tree, the service cage will have multiple branches extending out of it. These branches have a variety of names, such as levels, drifts, or galleries. The area where a level will meet with the service cage is known as the well station or insert. Each level is perpendicular to the service cage, allowing for a horizontal access path to a mineral deposit.
In most well drilling practices, the well will be divided into several sections. Each section is vertical, as they run parallel to the serving cage. In most shaft mines, most of these sections are used for lifting purposes. The service cage itself usually contains a large lift, which is used to transport mining personnel up and down the shaft to different levels. The sections are usually rectangular in shape and are faced with wood or concrete.
Outside the service cage are small trees known as buckets. Mining wells often requires the use of at least one skip, as they are used to transport ore to the surface. These are essentially smaller versions of the service cage and do not normally carry personnel. The caissons can also be used for other needs, such as pipes for water and fuel, along with ventilation systems. These are all essential parts of mining, as water, fuel and air play an extremely important role in keeping the mine and its workers fully operational.
Above ground, a butt frame is used to raise and lower the winch elevators. This is done through a lift motor, which is usually connected to a pulley. The head frames were once constructed of wood, but demands for strength and reliability led to steel and concrete structures. Another role played by the head frame in well mining is to provide a storage area for ores.
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