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mining
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Quick Summary

A "crosscut" in mining is a horizontal passage driven at a right angle to an adit, drift, or level, essentially cutting across the main workings. This term can also refer to a cross-section or a type of saw.1

Underground mining is employed when ore bodies are too deep for surface extraction, despite higher costs per ton compared to surface mining. Productivity is lower due to smaller equipment and limited access. The choice of underground mining method depends on factors like ore body shape, grade, rock strength, and depth.23

Sublevel caving involves mining on multiple intermediate levels. Parallel crosscuts are driven through the ore body, and blasting occurs from the top down. As ore is removed, the overlying material caves in, leading to dilution. Cut-and-fill mining removes ore in horizontal slices, with the void filled with waste material. Mining progresses upward (overhand) or downward (underhand), with cement added to the fill in the latter case for stability.23

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. crosscut
  2. mining - Sublevel caving
  3. mining - Cut-and-fill mining

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