Rock salt production in O/ZG «Polkowice-Sieroszowice» - a case study

Abstract

The first works related to the exploration of the salt deposit in O/ZG «Polkowice-Sieroszowice» took place in 1991. At that time, a number of opening-out headings to the salt deposit from the level of the copper ore level were begun. Currently, the total length of the excavations in the salt deposit is approximately 40 km. It should be noted that, depending on the function, the volume of drifts is different, which results from the dimensions of individual excavations. The total volume of drifts in the salt deposit is estimated to be approximately 2.5 million m$^{3}$ . In the Sieroszowice mining area, salt occurs at a depth of 950 m above sea level. In November 2013, the mine obtained a license to extract rock salt from the «Bądzów» deposit (50 years). Part of the mining activities in the salt deposit are performed mechanically in a chamber system with the use of roadheaders. The applied technology for deposit extraction requires the methodology of headings mining. These headings (chambers) are made in layers, from top to bottom. The target transverse dimensions of the chambers are 15 m × 15 m (width × height) in a variety of lengths. Chambers are separated by inter- -chamber pillars 20 m wide. which should ensure the stability of the chambers and the pillars themselves. The remaining works consist of drifts driving with dimensions 7 m × 5 m (width × height). The mining works carried out so far take place more or less in the middle part of the deposit (understood in terms of thickness), and the excavations created as a result of these works are located in salts with various geomechanical parameters.