raise climber

mining machinery

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July 13, 2026

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The term "raise climber" refers to a piece of mining machinery that assists in shaft construction. Traditionally, shafts were sunk from the surface. However, an advancement in mining allowed shafts to be "raised" from existing tunnels below. This method simplifies the removal of excavated material, as it falls directly into the tunnel for easy loading.

The raise climber, developed in Sweden in 1957, features a working cage that moves along a rail attached to the shaft wall. This innovation significantly improved efficiency, reducing construction time and cost compared to older upward mining techniques. The raise borer, introduced in the 1960s, further mechanized this process, allowing for larger diameters and faster progress. A "raiseman" is a miner who works in such a raise.12

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tunnels and underground excavations
Shaft raising
…by Swedish development of the raise climber, whose working cage climbs a rail fastened to the shaft wall and extends backward into the horizontal access tunnel into which the cage is retracted during a blast. Simultaneously in the 1950s Germans began experimenting with several mechanized reamers, including a motor-cutter unit…
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…by Swedish development of the raise climber, whose working cage climbs a rail fastened to the shaft wall and extends backward into the horizontal access tunnel into which the cage is retracted during a blast. Simultaneously in the 1950s Germans began experimenting with several mechanized reamers, including a motor-cutter unit…
Read More