CONTINUOUS-EXTRACTION MINING SYSTEM
A material extraction system for an underground mine includes an elevated haulage conveyor extending between first and second ends of a roadway entry. The haulage conveyor is cantilevered from a mine wall and conveys material toward either end of the roadway entry. The system also includes a crusher including a drive operable to move the crusher along the roadway entry. The system further includes a bridge conveyor including a first end adjacent the crusher and receiving material from the crusher, and a second end adjacent the elevated haulage conveyor and positioned for depositing material onto the elevated haulage conveyor. The bridge conveyor is moveable with the crusher along the roadway entry. The system also includes a loader moveable along the roadway entry and into and out of material collection entries to collect material therefrom and transport the material to the crusher.
1 . A conveyor system for an underground mine, the conveyor system extending through an underground entry having a floor, a wall, and a roof, the conveyor system comprising:
a bridge conveyor extending generally upwardly toward the roof from a location proximal to the floor; and
a haulage conveyor cantilevered from the wall and positioned proximal to the roof, wherein the bridge conveyor conveys material upwardly and deposits the material onto the haulage conveyor.
2 . The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein the haulage conveyor is supported solely by the wall.
3 . The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein the haulage conveyor is positioned at least half way up the wall between the roof and the floor.
4 . The conveyor system of claim 3 , wherein the haulage conveyor is positioned at least two-thirds of the way up the wall between the roof and the floor.
5 . The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein the entry includes a centerline, and wherein the entire haulage conveyor is positioned to one side of the centerline.
6 . The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein the haulage conveyor is coupled to the wall by a plurality of L-brackets.
7 . The conveyor system of claim 1 , further comprising a crusher operable to crush the material and deposit the material onto the bridge conveyor.
8 . The conveyor system of claim 7 , wherein the crusher and the bridge conveyor are moveable along the haulage conveyor.
9 . The conveyor system of claim 7 , wherein the bridge conveyor is integral with the crusher.
10 . The conveyor system of claim 1 , wherein the haulage conveyor includes a trough conveyor.
11 . A material extraction system for an underground mine, the mine including a roadway entry having a first end and a second end, the mine also including a first material collection entry that intersects the roadway entry between the first and second ends, and a second material collection entry that intersects the roadway entry between the first and second ends and that is spaced along the roadway entry from the first material collection entry, the system comprising:
an elevated haulage conveyor extending along the roadway entry between the first and second ends, the haulage conveyor operable to convey material toward at least one of the first and second ends;
a material collector positioned between the first and second ends and including a drive system for moving the material collector along the roadway entry;
a bridge conveyor including a first end adjacent the material collector and receiving material from the material collector, and a second end adjacent the elevated haulage conveyor and positioned for depositing material onto the elevated haulage conveyor, the bridge conveyor moveable with the material collector along the roadway entry; and
a loader moveable along the roadway entry and into and out of the first and second material collection entries to collect material therefrom and to deposit material into the material collector.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein while the loader collects material from the first material collection entry, the material collector is positioned between the first material collection entry and the second material collection entry, and wherein when the loader is finished collecting material from the first material collection entry, the material collector moves beyond the second material collection entry to a location on an opposite side of the second material collection entry as the first material collection entry to provide the loader with access to the second material collection entry.
13 . The material extraction system of claim 11 , wherein the roadway entry includes a wall, a floor, and a roof, and wherein the elevated haulage conveyor is cantilevered from the wall and positioned proximal to the roof.
14 . The material extraction system of claim 13 , wherein the haulage conveyor is supported solely by the wall.
15 . The material extraction system of claim 13 , wherein the haulage conveyor is positioned at least half way up the wall between the roof and the floor.
16 . The material extraction system of claim 13 , wherein the haulage conveyor is positioned at least two-thirds of the way up the wall between the roof and the floor.
17 . The material extraction system of claim 13 , wherein the roadway entry includes a centerline, and wherein the entire haulage conveyor is positioned to one side of the centerline.
18 . The material extraction system of claim 13 , wherein the haulage conveyor is coupled to the wall by a plurality of L-brackets.
19 . The material extraction system of claim 11 , wherein the bridge conveyor is integral with the material collector.
20 . The material extraction system of claim 11 , wherein the haulage conveyor includes a trough conveyor.
21 . The material extraction system of claim 11 , wherein the loader includes an electrical drive operable to move the loader.
22 . The material extraction system of claim 11 , further comprising a feeder positioned adjacent the material collector and operable to feed material received from the loader toward the material collector.
23 . The material extraction system of claim 22 , wherein the feeder includes a gather portion for receiving material from the loader, the gather portion including a pair of foldable wings that are moveable between a lowered position for receiving material and a raised position for guiding material toward the gather portion.
24 . The material extraction system of claim 11 , wherein the elevated conveyor extends continuously from the first end to the second end of the roadway entry.
25 . The material extraction system of claim 11 , wherein the material collector includes a crusher portion.
26 . The material extraction system of claim 11 , wherein the loader is pivotally coupled to the material collector, and wherein the material collector is operable to move the loader into and out of the first and second material collection entries.
27 . The material extraction system of claim 26 , wherein the loader includes steerable wheels for guiding the loader into and out of the first and second material collection entries and along the roadway entry when the loader is being moved by the material collector.
28 . The material extraction system of claim 27 , wherein the steerable wheels are vertically moveable relative to a chassis portion of the loader for raising and lowering a collection end of the loader.
29 . A load haul dump vehicle for moving material through an underground mine, the vehicle comprising:
a front end including a moveable load bucket;
a rear end pivotally coupled to the front end; and
an electrical drive operable to move the load bucket and the vehicle.
30 . The vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the front end includes a pair of front wheels and the rear end includes a pair of rear wheels, and wherein the electrical drive is operable to rotate the front wheels and the rear wheels.
31 . The vehicle of claim 30 , wherein each of the front wheels and each of the rear wheels includes a dedicated electric drive assembly for independently rotating an associated front wheel or rear wheel.
32 . The vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the electrical drive is operable to pivot the front end and the rear end relative to one another.
33 . The vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the electrical drive includes a battery assembly.
34 . The vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the electrical drive includes a cable management system for coupling with an external power supply that is fixed relative to the mine.
35 . The vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the front end includes a rock breaker positioned adjacent the load bucket.
36 . The vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the rear end includes a second moveable load bucket.
37 . The vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the electrical drive is operable to power a hydraulic system, and wherein the hydraulic system is operable to pivot the front end and the rear end relative to one another.
38 . The vehicle of claim 29 , further comprising an internal combustion engine for supplementing the electrical drive.