Floating drillrig: advanced technology for diamond mining in Canada


          

刊名：Canadian Mining Journal
作者：I. Kouptchinski
V. Kouptchinski
刊号：741NA001
ISSN：0008-4492
出版年：2004
年卷期：2004, vol.125, no.7
页码：14-15
总页数：2
分类号：TD80
语种：eng
文摘：Diamond fields in Canada are typically characterized by two factors, which require the application of unconventional mining methods. The first factor is that about 75% of the diamond pipes in Canada are situated beneath a lake. This makes open pit mining difficult or impossible, as well as complicating the use of the other conventional approach-mining underground beneath the lake bed. The second factor is that a considerable number of Canadian diamond pipes have small cross-sections (up to 4-5 hectares). This increases the capital investment, and consequently reduces profitability. In this regard, heed should be paid to the unconventional method used by De Beers for the diamond mining at the African shelf. A ship equipped with a special unit is used as a floating drillrig, which collects bottom deposits and delivers them to the ship as muck. Diamonds are recovered from the muck by a concentrating mini-mill located onboard the ship. The principle of operation of this type of unit is the same as conventional pneumatic suction drillrigs, except for the special drillbit, which does not cut into rock, but instead loosens bottom deposits and rakes them up to the suction hole of a drill string. This method is the lowest cost diamond mining method in the world. It would seem to be particularly effective for the conditions of Canada as it is swiftly deployable, has low capital costs, minimal adverse environmental impact, eliminates unsafe underground working conditions and is cost-effective.



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