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Title: Hydraulic mining method

Abstract

A method of hydraulically mining an underground pitched mineral vein comprising drilling a vertical borehole through the earth's lithosphere into the vein and drilling a slant borehole along the footwall of the vein to intersect the vertical borehole. Material is removed from the mineral vein by directing a high pressure water jet thereagainst. The resulting slurry of mineral fragments and water flows along the slant borehole into the lower end of the vertical borehole from where it is pumped upwardly through the vertical borehole to the surface.

Inventors:
;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Flow Industries Inc., Kent, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
865555
Patent Number(s):
4536035
Application Number:
06/621,294
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by U.S. Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E21 - EARTH DRILLING E21B - EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E21 - EARTH DRILLING E21C - MINING OR QUARRYING
DOE Contract Number:  
AC01-81FE16126
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 1984 Jun 15
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
hydraulic; mining; method; hydraulically; underground; pitched; mineral; vein; comprising; drilling; vertical; borehole; earth; lithosphere; slant; footwall; intersect; material; removed; directing; pressure; water; jet; thereagainst; resulting; slurry; fragments; flows; pumped; upwardly; surface; water flows; pressure water; water flow; water jet; resulting slurry; vertical borehole; pumped upwardly; comprising drilling; vertical bore; /299/166/175/

Citation Formats

Huffman, Lester H., and Knoke, Gerald S. Hydraulic mining method. United States: N. p., 1985. Web.
Huffman, Lester H., & Knoke, Gerald S. Hydraulic mining method. United States.
Huffman, Lester H., and Knoke, Gerald S. Tue . "Hydraulic mining method". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865555.
@article{osti_865555,
title = {Hydraulic mining method},
author = {Huffman, Lester H. and Knoke, Gerald S.},
abstractNote = {A method of hydraulically mining an underground pitched mineral vein comprising drilling a vertical borehole through the earth's lithosphere into the vein and drilling a slant borehole along the footwall of the vein to intersect the vertical borehole. Material is removed from the mineral vein by directing a high pressure water jet thereagainst. The resulting slurry of mineral fragments and water flows along the slant borehole into the lower end of the vertical borehole from where it is pumped upwardly through the vertical borehole to the surface.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1985},
month = {8}
}