• Digital Edition
  • Press Releases
  • Buyers’ Guide
  • Costmine
  • Careers
  • Maps
  • Profile
  • Sign out
  • Regions
    • Canada
    • United States
    • Australia, NZ & South Pacific
    • Mexico and Central America
    • North America
  • Commodities
    • Gold
    • Copper
    • Diamonds
    • Silver
    • Zinc and Lead
    • Nickel
    • Uranium
    • Iron Ore
  • Commentary
    • Commentary
    • Editorial
  • ESG
    • Indigenous Issues
    • Sustainability
    • Environment
  • Suppliers & Equipment
    • Machinery and Equipment
    • Machinery and Equipment Maintenance
    • Technology & innovation
  • Events
    • Canadian Mining Symposium | October 12 + 13, 2023 | London, UK
    • Superior Glove Webinar | August 15, 2023
    • Upcoming Events
    • Submit an Event
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Magazine
    • Newsletter
  • Advertise

Amusement rides no joke to combat costly travel time

Canadian Mining Journal Staff | February 1, 2002 | 12:00 am

Traveling underground for deep level mining is getting to be a costly and time-consuming process. With orebodies being discovered deeper underground, how can we mine them profitably with costs for workers’ travel time eating up the profits?

Sadly, transportation vehicles travel very slowly because of their limited speed and the poor road maintenance. Multi-user automated mining equipment, autonomous equipment, and subshafts for high-speed haulage systems just don’t address the main problem.

One concept that came to me was a bit hard to swallow, but the more I did the number crunching the better it sounded. There already is a system that moves hundreds of people at high speeds and has a good safety record: the amusement ride industry.

I imagined a roller coaster going underground with the miners screaming, arms flaying and legs kicking as they accelerated hopelessly to their worksite deep in the mine. Not a pretty picture. But, how about a high-speed transportation system using the coasters rail technology and adapting it for underground use?

Some ideas get brushed off because they don’t seem feasible or just sound too off-the-wall. But, if nobody builds such a system, the mining industry in Africa might have to close up some of those deep mines. Remember that light at the end of the tunnel: the prospect of getting at those deep orebodies economically.

Cha Ching

Dennis R. Pageau 224 Labreche Dr. North Bay, ON. P1A 4J6

Sudbury reader

Regarding “Sudbury branches out” (CMJ, January 2002), it is always nice to see a positive, yet well balanced article like this one.

Richard Riach, Mines Research, Mechatronics Engineering Inco Ltd. Copper Cliff, Ont.

Please send your letters to the editor at the address on page 5, or via e-mail to jwerniuk@corporate. southam.ca


Comments

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe
Digital Edition

Editions

  • Subscribe
  • Digital Editions

About

  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright Notice

  • TheNorthernMiner
  • Mining.com
  • Careermine
  • Edumine

Canadian Mining Journal provides information on new Canadian mining and exploration trends, technologies, mining operations, corporate developments and industry events.

Funded by the Government of Canada
© 2023 Glacier Media Group, All Rights Reserved