Hydro power & ventilation shafts
Ventilation and hydro power shafts sunk, supported, lined and equipped — including raise-bored vent shafts finished from bare hole to commissioned shaft.
Overview
Shafts that move air and water
Ventilation shafts and second escape ways keep a mine breathing and give its people a way out. Hydro power shafts carry water under pressure for years at a time. Both have to be sunk or bored accurately, supported properly and equipped for safe access, and ShaftCon does all of it: shaft sinking for ventilation and hydro power, raise boring through our raise-boring company, and the support, lining and equipping that turns a hole into a working shaft.
At Sasol’s Sigma and Matla collieries we supported, lined and equipped raise-bored vent shafts and escape ways: travelling ways and second escape ways, winder-house erection and winder installation, a pre-assembled equipping stage with bank steel, bank doors and headgear, wet-crete lining and ring-back cat ladders, and finally commissioning. Both projects were completed LTI-free.
On the hydro side, we rehabilitated the Comossa hydro power tunnel in Brazil in 2013. We have also carried out the pre-sink and sinking of the Everest vent shaft.
What the work covers
- Sinking of ventilation and hydro power shafts
- Raise-bored vent shafts and second escape ways (with ShaftCon Raise Boring)
- Support and lining with wet-crete
- Travelling ways and ring-back cat ladders
- Equipping stages, bank steel and bank doors
- Headgear, winder house and winder installation
- Cementation of water and sealing of gas
- Commissioning
From bore to commissioned shaft
Sink or bore
Conventional sinking, or a raise-bored hole drilled by ShaftCon Raise Boring — the right method for the diameter, depth and ground.
Support
The shaft walls are supported and lined with wet-crete, with cementation where water or gas has to be sealed off.
Access
Travelling ways, second escape ways and ring-back cat ladders, manufactured and installed by our teams.
Equipping stage
A pre-assembled equipping stage with bank steel and bank doors lets the crew work the shaft safely from top to bottom.
Headgear and winder
Headgear erection, winder-house construction and winder installation at the collar.
Commissioning
The headgear, winder and equipping stage are commissioned and the shaft is handed over ready to use.
Sasol: raise-bore vent shafts, start to finish
At Sasol’s Sigma and Matla collieries, working with Master Drilling, we took raise-bored vent shafts from bare hole to commissioned shaft. Both projects were completed LTI-free.
Equipping stage and headgear
Pre-assembly of the equipping stage, bank steel, bank doors and headgear for the support and lining of the vent shaft.
Lining and ladders
Shaft lining with wet-crete, and installation of ring-back cat ladders.
Winder and commissioning
Winder-house erection and winder installation, then commissioning of the headgear, winder and equipping stage.
Projects
Related projects
Vent shafts and hydro power work
Related services
Vent shafts, escape ways, drain and paste holes.
Winder houses, winders, headgear and stages.
Pre-sink, sinking, lining and equipping of vertical shafts.
Tunnel arches and rehabilitation in hydro tunnels.
Planning a shaft, decline or tunnel?
Tell us about the project. We reply from our Beestekraal head office, and we can put you in touch with our teams in Namibia, Tanzania, Mali and the USA.