METHOD AND MEANS FOR CAVITY MINING MINERALS FROM A SUBSURFACE DEPOSIT

摘要

Minerals such as coal are recovered from an underground deposit by hydraulically jetting an underground cavity by means of a hydraulic jet nozzle that is lowered to the desired depth through a borehole. The particles that are broken from the underground deposit are transported through the borehole to the surface by means of a hydraulic jet pump. Oversized particles that cannot enter the pump inlet are crushed to prevent clogging of the entrance.