Pumpable product hydraulic mining apparatus and method

摘要

A method and apparatus for hydraulic mining wherein the mined product is reduced to a pumpable form. The apparatus includes a jet monitor for dislodging the mined product from its in situ state, a feeder-breaker for receiving the mined product, preliminarily separating the pumpable constituent of the product and then subjecting the remaining product to successive breaking and separating steps until the entire product is in a pumpable state. The feeder-breaker is also provided with a sump to collect the pumpable product and pump means to convey the product from the sump under pressure, whereby transport of the product is not dependent on gravity. In the preferred embodiment, the feeder-breaker is provided with a secondary jet monitor to reduce oversized constituents of the mined product to a size suited for the successive separating and breaking steps.