Stope Definition Drilling

Stope definition drilling delineates ore blocks for extraction. Drilling Patterns Fan Drilling - Holes drilled in fans from access drives - Typical spacing 10-25m between fans - Multiple holes per fan Ring Drilling - Complete rings around ore body - Common in sublevel methods Hole Types Diamond Core - Highest quality data - Enables structural interpretation - More expensive Reverse Circulation RC - Faster and cheaper - Less detailed data - Good for grade definition Data Collection - Core logging if diamond - Assay sampling - Geotechnical data - Structure orientations

All lessons in Underground Geology — Return to the complete Underground Geology course outline.
Previous lesson: Ore Drive Development — Ore drives follow the ore body to extract economic material. Drive Planning - Follow ore geometry - Maintain minimum dimensions for equipment - Consider…
Next lesson: Ground Support and Rock Mechanics — Understanding rock mass behavior is critical for safe underground mining. Rock Mass Classification Q-System Joint parameters, water, stress conditions.

Verification resources

Cross-check terminology, classification, methods, and safety with these authoritative external resources.

Underground hard-rock mining — Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. Canadian occupational-health guidance about underground mining hazards and controls.
Mineral Exploration Best Practice Guidelines — Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum. Professional guidance for geological records, sampling, interpretation, security, and QA/QC.

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Stope Definition Drilling

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Verification resources