Driefontein is a mature intermediate to ultra-deep level gold mine. It consists of four vertical operating shafts, No. 1 Shaft, No. 4 Shaft, No. 5 Shaft and No. 8 Shaft, extending down to 50 Level (the lowest working level) at No. 5 Shaft, approximately 3,300m below surface.
Ore from all the shafts is processed at Driefontein No. 1 Plant. The production from No. 4 Shaft and No. 5 Shaft is conveyed underground to No. 2 Shaft on 22 and 24 levels for hoisting.
As Driefontein is a well-developed orebody that has been extensively mined, the choice of mining method is constrained by this historical mining. The orebody is narrow tabular in nature and is accessed through vertical shafts, with evenly spaced development in the footwall. On reef development is advanced on true dip, ledged and then stoped to either side in the direction of strike. All mining at Driefontein is conventional in nature and is consistent with other similar orebodies.
Mining methods are based on a number of factors and are shaft, infrastructure and orebody specific. They are made by experienced mining engineering professionals, with input from all disciplines.
The mining methods employed at Driefontein are subdivided as follows:
- No. 1 SV Shaft: minimal extraction of previously unmined (white) areas and scattered mining: shaft pillar partial extraction:
- No. 1 T and No. 5 SV Shafts: breast mining with dip pillars: scattered white areas;
- No. 4 SV Shaft: s ........
