Shaft Sinking

60 years, 500 shafts, 200 km of shaft sunk.

Redpath is recognized throughout the industry as a global leader in shaft sinking. Working in some of the most extreme conditions and remote locations on earth such as the jungles of South America, the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and the high Arctic, Redpath has the experience and expertise to mobilize people and equipment to safely execute any shaft project.

Our engineering teams continuously strive to bring new benchmark sinking applications to the forefront throughout the world. Recent developments focus on making our systems safer, more productive and easier to train new employees. Improved monitoring and communication capabilities between field teams and home office through a variety of wireless applications have also been standardized.

Examples of applications using wireless communication include:

• POV-video calling and third-party “smart glasses”, enabling remote troubleshooting, assistance and modification.
• Redpath Shaft Control System, using a combination of programmable logic and sensing equipment to control unwanted equipment interactions in the shaft and to optimize routine tasks.
• Wireless Cross head signaling (belling).
• Advanced operator graphics panels.
• Shaft bells position identifier.
• Winder/hoist emergency stop and creep control on the galloway.
• Laser scanners at the collar and sub collar doors.
• Bucket movement warning alarms (both visual and audible).
• Air quality monitoring.
• Real time QA data capture and transmission.

The application of the above technologies have significantly contributed to recent safety and productivity gains on our shaft projects

Examples of innovative approaches focusing on design and methodologies include:

• Site-specific galloway design and operations. A center column support with a perimeter crane supplemented with a moveable deck to accommodate complex shaft liner installation.
• Under-slung, hydraulic excavating shaft mucker, providing flexibility to work under mechanical excavation techniques, or drill and blast environments providing flexibility to cut, chip or muck in a drill and blast approach. The 4^th generation of the unit is currently under development, for use in full remote mode, eliminating personnel from the shaft bottom during the mucking cycle. This new configuration has a moveable galloway deck.
• Prototype hydraulic key door in the shaft forms, accelerating the rate of opening and closing the concrete form key doors.
• Redpath hydraulic curb ring for use in shafts with profiled shaft walls.
• Hoist (winder) simulator.
• Proprietary “Step Change” methodologies teaming with mechanical excavation equipment designers, for soft and hard rock mechanical sinking machines.

Noteworthy shaft-sinking projects include:

• ÉléonoreMine, Les Mines Opinaca
• La Colorada, Pan American Silver Corporation
• Shaft 2, Oyu Tolgoi Mine
• Nezhinsky Mine, Belarus