ALROSA to Switch to Pillar Mining at Aikhal Underground Mine
October 08, 15
(IDEX Online News) – ALROSA has begun implementing pillar mining at the Aikhal underground mine. The company said it will use the more efficient drill and fire system instead of traditional bench mining, which uses tunneling machines.
The advantage of the new method is a reduction in mining expenses, as well as in the cost of mined ore. In addition, because it decreases the volume of stowing and cutting operations, the volume of breaking operations is expected to increase.
The drill and fire system is scheduled to begin on a large scale in 2017. Aikhal will become the company’s first underground mine to implement the system.
The Aikhal pipe deposit is one of ALROSA's oldest. In 2014, rough diamond production at the Aikhal underground mine totaled 3.292 million carats. As of July 1, 2013, the Aikhal pipe resources (including reserves) amount to 15.998 million tons of ore with an average diamond grade of 4.26 carats per ton.