Continuous-extraction mining system

Abstract

A material extraction system is provided for an underground mine. The mine includes a roadway entry and a draw-bell entry intersecting the roadway entry and affording access to a draw-bell. The system generally includes a loader movable from the roadway entry into the draw-bell entry for removing material from the draw-bell, a sizer coupled to the loader for sizing the removed material, and a material collector operable to collect the sized material. The material collector places the sized material at a substantially elevated position relative to a mine floor. A shuttle car is operable to receive the collected material from the material collector. The shuttle car is movable along the roadway entry for transferring the collected material so as to facilitate a substantially continuous extraction of the material.

1 . A material extraction system for an underground mine, the mine including a roadway entry and a draw-bell entry intersecting the roadway entry and affording access to a draw-bell, the system comprising:
 a loader movable from the roadway entry into the draw-bell entry for removing material from the draw-bell;   a sizer coupled to the loader for sizing the removed material;   a material collector operable to collect the sized material, wherein the material collector places the sized material at a substantially elevated position relative to a mine floor; and   a shuttle car operable to receive the collected material from the material collector, the shuttle car being movable along the roadway entry for transferring the collected material so as to facilitate a substantially continuous extraction of the material.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sizer includes a discharge conveyor for discharging the sized material onto the material collector. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sizer is configured to size the removed material on a substantially continuous basis. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sizer includes a self-contained power supply. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the material collector is movable along a mine floor. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the material collector includes wheels engageable with a mine floor. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the loader includes a chassis and a loading arm movably coupled to the chassis and operable to move material from the draw-bell toward the chassis. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the chassis includes a feed conveyor, and wherein the loading arm moves the removed material onto the feed conveyor. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the loader includes a rock breaker mounted to an end of the loading arm. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the loader further includes a carriage movable along the chassis, and wherein the loading arm is coupled to the carriage for movement therewith. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shuttle car comprises steerable wheels engageable with a mine floor. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shuttle car and material collector are dimensioned such that the shuttle car is positioned substantially below at least a part of the material collector for receiving the collected material therefrom. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the shuttle car comprises a chromium carbide overlay plate. 
     
     
         14 . A method of extracting material for an underground mine, the mine including a roadway entry and a draw-bell entry intersecting the roadway entry and affording access to a draw-bell, the method comprising:
 moving a loader from the roadway entry into the draw-bell entry;   removing material from the draw-bell using the loader;   sizing the removed material using a sizer that is coupled to the loader;   collecting the sized material on a material collector, wherein the sized material is placed at a substantially elevated position relative to a mine floor; and   transferring the collected material along the roadway entry using a shuttle car so as to facilitate a continuous extraction of the material.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the material collector is movable along the mine floor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the sizer includes a discharge conveyor, and the sized material is conveyed using the discharge conveyor for discharging onto the material collector. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the removed material is sized on a substantially continuous basis. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the material collector engages the mine floor with wheels. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the shuttle car engages the mine floor with steerable wheels. 
     
     
         20 . A material extraction system for an underground mine, the mine including a roadway entry and a draw-bell entry intersecting the roadway entry and affording access to a draw-bell, the system comprising:
 a loader movable from the roadway entry into the draw-bell entry for removing material from the draw-bell;   a sizer coupled to the loader for sizing the removed material on a substantially continuous basis;   a material collector operable to store the sized material; and   a shuttle car operable to receive the collected material from the material collector, the shuttle car including steerable wheels engageable with the mine floor for moving along the roadway entry for transferring the collected material so as to facilitate a substantially continuous extraction of the material.