Method of operating a mining hoist
An underground mine hoist and method of operating the mine hoist is provided. Unlike conventional underground mine hoists, the hoist may be operated at a production rate less than the designed maximum production rate at least part of the time to improve the life of the hoist and efficiency of operation. In order to vary the hoist production rate, an input rate and/or output rate of mined material is monitored, and the hoist production rate is varied based on such monitoring.
1 . A method of operating an underground mine hoist, comprising:
monitoring, by a sensor, an underground input rate and/or an aboveground output rate of mined material;
filling a hoist container underground with the mined material, the hoist container connected to a drive mechanism extending in an underground shaft from a surface of the earth to a mining area under the surface;
operating a motor operably coupled to the drive mechanism to raise the hoist container in the underground shaft toward the surface of the earth;
emptying the mined material from the hoist container; and
varying, by a controller operably coupled to the sensor, a rate of the mined material filled, raised and emptied with the hoist container in response to a signal of the sensor indicative of the underground input rate and/or the aboveground output rate.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the underground input rate is a mining rate and the aboveground output rate is a milling rate.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rate of mined material filled, raised and emptied is varied by varying a payload of the mined material filled in the hoist container.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rate of mined material filled, raised and emptied is varied by varying an acceleration or deceleration of the hoist container when the hoist container is raised.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the underground input rate and the aboveground output rate of the mined material are monitored by the sensor.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rate of the mined material filled, raised and emptied is less than the underground input rate of the mined material when the underground input rate is greater than the aboveground output rate.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rate of the mined material filled, raised and emptied matches the aboveground output rate of the mined material when the underground input rate is greater than the aboveground output rate.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rate of the mined material filled, raised and emptied is less than the aboveground output rate of the mined material when the aboveground output rate is greater than the underground input rate.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rate of the mined material filled, raised and emptied matches the underground input rate of the mined material when the aboveground output rate is greater than the underground input rate.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mined material is emptied from the hoist container into an aboveground storage bin, the aboveground output rate being a rate of removal of the mined material from the aboveground storage bin.
11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the rate of the mined material filled, raised and emptied is greater than the aboveground output rate when the underground input rate is greater than the aboveground output rate until the aboveground storage bin reaches a maximum fill.
12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mined material is filled in the hoist container from an underground storage bin, the underground input rate being a rate of filling of the mined material into the underground storage bin.
13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the rate of the mined material filled, raised and emptied is less than a maximum rate of filling, raising and emptying the hoist container and greater than the underground input rate when the aboveground output rate is greater than the underground input rate until the underground storage bin reaches a minimum fill.
14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mined material is filled in the hoist container from an underground storage bin, the underground input rate being a rate of filling of the mined material into the underground storage bin.
15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the rate of the mined material filled, raised and emptied matches the aboveground output rate when the aboveground output rate is greater than the underground input rate until the underground storage bin reaches a minimum fill.
16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a first sensor that monitors the underground input rate and provides a first signal indicative of the underground input rate, and the sensor includes a second sensor that monitors the aboveground output rate and provides a second signal indicative of the aboveground output rate.
17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the controller operates to vary and control the rate of the mined material filled, raised and emptied in response to the first and second signals.
18 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rate of the mined material filled, raised and emptied is less than a maximum rate of filling, raising and emptying the hoist container when the underground input rate or the aboveground output rate of mined material is less than the maximum rate of filling, raising and emptying the hoist container.
19 . An underground mine hoist, comprising:
an underground shaft extending from a surface of the earth to a mining area under the surface;
a drive mechanism extending within the underground shaft;
a hoist container connected to the drive mechanism;
a motor operable to drive the drive mechanism to raise and lower the hoist container within the underground shaft between the mining area and the surface of the earth;
a sensor to monitor an underground input rate and/or an aboveground output rate of mined material, the sensor providing a sensor signal; and
a controller configured to vary a rate of the mined material filled, raised and emptied with the hoist container in response to the sensor signal, which sensor signal is indicative of the underground input rate and/or the aboveground output rate.
20 . The underground mine hoist of claim 19 , further comprising:
an underground storage bin adapted to receive material at the underground input rate and to supply material to the hoist container; and
an aboveground storage bin adapted to receive material from the hoist container and disburse mined material at the aboveground output rate.