AUXILIARY OPERATIONS

The main auxiliary operations that will help the production operation at the underground mine are;

Electricity supply
A hydro-power station generated from the nearby river is built to provide a total power supply
of 10 Mega-watts to supply the entire underground operation. The electricity needed in the
underground mines production is to operate the following equipment, machineries and other
electrical appliances that will be used during the underground mining operation.
Drills (Jumbo drills)
Ventilation fans
i. Fresh air (inlet) fans
ii. Exhaust (outlet) fans
Dewatering
Sump pumps
Dam station pumps
Lightings (entire underground lightings)
Water supply

The water supply at the mine is needed for daily usages but especially for production purpose, water is
needed to be supplied to the major production areas and to auxiliary areas that will help/contribute to
the production processes. The following are areas where water supply is needed so that an effective
production operation can be maintained;

To Drilling machines
To workshop
To auxiliary rooms
Dewatering

Dewatering is an auxiliary operation carried out purposely to remove dirty, unproductive and
harmful underground water out of the mine, to the surface and into the nearby river systems.
Dewatering at this mine will be accomplished through making sumps at each level to collect water
and pump them out into a mini sump area within each respective level in which a drain-hole is being
drilled from level to level and finally ends up at the main dam station at the last level to drain
down/out water. Also each level is developed at a gradient of 3% to allow for water flow (drainage)
from the end of the drive back to where the drain-holes are located at each level (drain-holes are
drilled from each level and fitted with poly pipes to prevent blockages). The suitable pumps that will
be used at each level are the 10kW pumps which have effectively pimp water to the mini sumps
where the drain-holes are located, while water from there is drilled down to the main water dam
with the help of gravity. From the main dam station a 365kW pump will be used to pump the water
right up the surface via the ventilation shaft where it will be discharged into the nearby creek or
river.

Lightings

Lighting is very important in underground mines as it provides visible environment and working
areas for the underground workers. Lighting may also provide possible visible sight for the workers,
for instead, helps operators to see clearly the underground workstations and also improves visibility
for workers. Lighting boards (electrical lights) are installed at auxiliary rooms, pumps and fan
stations/cuddies, power station/cuddies, dam stations and other workstations. Basically, lighting is
needed for major areas where worker and operators need more light to see, observe, judge and do
work correctly.

Workshop

During the production operation, the workshop is a very important area of the auxiliary operation
that must be fully equipped and facilitated for repair and maintenance work of the mine fleets so
that production is not delayed because of technical or mechanical faults and failures.