As an essential component of mining engineering, underground mining technology has long played a vital role in resource extraction and utilization. With rapid technological advances and increasing demands for sustainable development, underground mining is undergoing unprecedented transformation and innovation. From traditional manual excavation to modern mechanized, automated, and even intelligent mining, every technological leap has significantly enhanced extraction efficiency, reduced safety risks, and progressed toward a more eco-friendly, efficient future. This article discusses the latest advances in underground mining technology, analyzes technical characteristics and effectiveness, and explores future trends, providing valuable insights for sustainable development in the mining industry.
Overview of Current Underground Mining Technologies
Backfill Mining Technology
Backfill mining technology addresses the problem of stope rock collapse by filling mined-out areas with support materials to maintain the stability of surrounding rock. Common backfill methods include dry fill, hydraulic fill, and paste fill. Among these, paste fill, which avoids layering, segregation, and dehydration, offers significant advantages for sustainable environmental development by ensuring long-term mine stability.
Open Stoping Technology
Open stoping technology divides ore blocks into stopes and pillars, mining the stope first, then the pillar. Natural support from pillars and surrounding rock provides space for stope mining. This method is cost-effective, requires a short setup time, and enables high production efficiency, although careful consideration is needed for safety at greater mining depths.
Rock Reinforcement Technology
Rock reinforcement technology strengthens weak or fragmented rock in underground mines, enhancing operational safety. Both active and passive support systems are commonly used. With advances in mining technology, reinforcement equipment has rapidly evolved, including tire-mounted bolters and dual-arm wet shotcrete sprayers, further improving operational safety and efficiency.
Drilling and Blasting Technology
Drilling and blasting are critical in underground mining. As drilling equipment and blasting methods advance, drilling and blasting technology has progressed from manual operations to automated, intelligent systems. New techniques like precision blasting, intelligent blasting, and eco-friendly blasting enhance mining efficiency and reduce safety risks.
Transport and Hoisting Technology
Transport and hoisting technologies ensure efficient connection between various underground mining stages. As mining depths and distances increase, methods like trackless, rail, and conveyor transport have become widespread. Additionally, research and application of highly automated, heavy-load transport and hoisting equipment have further improved transport efficiency and lowered costs.
Trends in Underground Mining Development
Large-Scale Mining
As market demand for metal resources rises, large-scale mining will be an important future trend for efficient resource use and cost reduction. Utilizing advanced mining technologies and techniques, such as high-level caving and sublevel caving with large intervals, will effectively increase mining efficiency and resource utilization.
Green and Eco-Friendly Mining
Eco-friendly mining is an inevitable trend. With stricter environmental regulations and heightened public awareness, green mining technologies like zero-waste mining and green blasting will focus on environmental protection and restoration. Improved backfill techniques and waste reduction measures will help minimize mining’s ecological impact.
Digitalized Mining Technology
Digitalized mining enhances mining efficiency and safety through comprehensive monitoring and management. By establishing a ground mining control platform and implementing remote control and monitoring, the mining process will be fully monitored and managed. At the same time, the use of unmanned operation technology to implement high-risk links will effectively reduce the probability of safety accidents. In the future, with the continuous development of technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data, and artificial intelligence, information-based mining technology will achieve more accurate and efficient mining operations.
Conclusion
The continuous development and innovation in underground mining technology have greatly improved efficiency and safety while mitigating environmental impacts. With deeper integration of intelligent and automated technologies—such as autonomous mining trucks, remote monitoring, and intelligent decision-making systems—underground mining is moving toward a more efficient, eco-friendly, and safer future. As we confront challenges such as resource depletion and the need for environmental protection, the development of new technologies—like deep mining and resource-efficient recovery methods—will be essential for sustainable mining practices. It will be crucial for the global mining sector to strengthen international cooperation, facilitate the exchange of technology, and address the technical and environmental issues related to mining as a shared responsibility. In the future, underground mining will increasingly focus on balancing economic, social, and environmental benefits, thereby supporting the green transformation and high-quality development of the mining industry.
