Modern and innovative shaft sinking and construction technology with examples from current projects / Moderne und innovative Schachtbautechnik am Beispiel aktueller Abteufprojekte

The sinking and lining of shafts at mines to access mineral deposits and shafts for civil engineering works has always been a great challenge for clients, designers and contractors. The article deals with the drilling and pipe casing of freezing holes up to 820 m deep to construct shafts in potash and salt mines with a permissible vertical deviation of less than 0.6 m radius, the managing of the associated ground freezing with freezing plant up to 10 MW freezing capacity and conventional full shaft sinking of so-called ultra-deep mine shafts with final depths of more than 2,000 m using drill and blast. Drilling and specialised aspects of shaft construction are described, for example directional drilling for ground freezing, temperature monitoring for safe control of shaft sinking work in frozen ground, the working platform system as the central shaft equipment of the shaft builder for the efficient performance of sinking stages like the drilling of blast holes, loading muck, support against rock mass impacts and shaft lining. In addition to the technical challenges, the article also discusses specific construction management and logistical tasks, which can occur in mine projects in distant regions with weak infrastructure.

An important part of the work of Thyssen Schachtbau GmbH is the sinking of shafts for potash mines. More than 60 mine shafts have been sunk for potash mines. Thyssen Schachtbau GmbH is currently involved in ten potash mine shaft projects in Russia. In addition to shafts for potash mining, shafts for access to non-ferrous metal deposits are also significant: two shafts more than 2,000 m deep are currently being sunk for a nickel mine north of the Arctic Circle.