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Cutting|Energy|generation|Gold|Hydraulics|Industrial|Mining|Power|Underground|Water|Bearing
Cutting|Energy|generation|Gold|Hydraulics|Industrial|Mining|Power|Underground|Water|Bearing
cutting|energy|generation|gold|hydraulics|industrial|mining|power|underground|water|bearing

Water power in underground mines should be put to full use

1st November 2024

By: Martin Creamer

Creamer Media Editor

     

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The high electricity tariff scenario should prompt underground miners to make full use of every bit of self-generation potential that is available to them. For decades, attention has been drawn to the fall of water down mines, providing the kinetic energy to generate water power.

It has to be down there to cool mines and the book COMRO’S Legacy highlights how hydraulic power can be used to drive stope machinery. Interestingly, a water-powered impact rockbreaking machine, which generated its own footwall by repeatedly cutting that footwall, was developed by COMRO in 1989 for the non-explosive mining of gold-bearing reef in South African gold mines.

Had COMRO continued with its intense hydraulics research through what was such an uncertain time that it merged with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, water power would likely be powering nonexplosive mining, which enables round-the-clock operation, a major production enhancer.

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Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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