Deep Hole Raise Boring At Falconbridge Operations, Sudbury Ontario

Falconbridge Limited is developing a major nickel mine at Craig which lies between 600 m, 915 m and 1500 m below surface and is accessed on the 600 m and 1250 m levels of Onaping Mine. To supply adequate ventilation for mine development and initial ore production, two raises, 1200 m long are to be driven in norite and granitic gneiss. Falconbridge has purchased a Robbins 97RL Raise Drill and a string of 330 mm drill pipe to ream these raises in 600 m legs at diameter. The paper describes the introduction of deep hole, large diameter raise boring technology into Falconbridge operations involving contractors and specialists in the technology.