Automatic Drift Mining Design in Excavation Network

What’s new in Excavation Network Design

A new mode now lets you automatically generate an underground design using the drift mining method. It speeds up planning, removes repetitive manual steps, and delivers consistent results.

Quick start

Open the mode switch and set the operation format to drift mining. The tool will drive the workflow from validated inputs through to a complete excavation network ready for detailing.

Input data you need

For calculation, use solids of optimized blocks created with Stope Optimizer. In this example, we work with three optimized levels of a vein-type deposit targeted for maximum ore recovery.

Define the level access point

The access point to each level is the shaft. You can specify it in two ways:

• No existing access point – let the system calculate it automatically by entering an offset and an azimuth angle.
• Existing access point – simply select it from the project.

In our case, each level is added as a separate entry in the table. Select the required levels and click Calculate.

Multi-level optimization for shorter development

If you select all levels at once, the algorithm finds the most optimal common access point and assigns it to every level. This approach shortens the total length of drifts, reduces development work, and cuts costs.

Why drift mining

Drift mining provides access to stopes through horizontal or slightly inclined tunnels called drifts. It is effective for deposits with complex geometry and long strike length, enabling optimized ore transport and lower development intensity. In practice, it is widely used for vein-type deposits where simultaneous access to several levels is needed.

Outputs and next steps

The calculation produces a complete network of workings for each level, ready for further detailing. The final step is building tunnel wireframes. After that, send the project for execution or continue with additional optimization.

Wrap up

Automatic drift mining design streamlines underground access planning, improves stope connectivity, and helps engineering teams move faster from concept to execution. Thank you for watching.