vertical retreat mining
Quick Summary
Vertical retreat mining is an underground mining method used for steeply dipping ore bodies that are strong, have regular boundaries, and are relatively thick. In this technique, the trough at the bottom of the ore body serves as a horizontal slot. Explosives are used to blast horizontal slices of ore downward into the trough. This process is repeated until the upper level is reached. This method differs from traditional blasthole stoping, where a vertical slot is created. Vertical retreat mining is a variation of blasthole stoping, allowing for efficient extraction by repeatedly blasting horizontal slices of ore.1
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