Drifts/Inclined Shafts | Introduction | underground COAL

	access to seam from surface
		seam access types
			Drifts/Inclined Shafts

Drifts/Inclined Shafts

The angle at which a drift becomes an inclined shaft is somewhat subjective, but there is some agreement that anything above 30^o to the horizontal is a shaft, not a drift.

A major advantage of drift or inclined shaft access versus vertical shaft access is the ability to move large volumes of equipment, materials and personnel in a properly designed and equipped drift/inclined shaft, whilst adopting gradients of 1:8 or less enables rubber tyred equipment to be utilised which significantly improves operational flexibility

• Adits
• Vertical shafts
• Drifts/Inclined shafts
• Drifts with a Change of Direction (Declines)