Patent ID: 6796616
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: E21C

Abstract:
A method for extracting mineral deposits in a mineral reserve accessible from a sloping surface, comprising:mining the sloping surface to create a bench and highwall for providing access to the mineral reserve; forming a surface in the highwall generally perpendicular to a desired direction of mining the mineral reserve to create an insertion highwall between opposing endwalls of the highwall extending therefrom; cutting a starter entry into the mineral reserve across the entire length of the insertion highwall from one endwall to the other; inserting roof supports into the starter entry and backfilling the starter entry with spoil to form a starter passage from one endwall to the other; mining the mineral reserve in the starter passage moving along the insertion highwall from one end wall to the other in a direction of production to extract mineral deposits therefrom; successively mining the mineral reserve moving from one endwall to the other in the direction of production to continue extracting mineral deposits therefrom thereby forming at least one successive passage advancing in the direction of mining; and providing roof support for successive passages resulting from the extraction of mineral deposits from the mineral reserve.