VARIOUS UNDERGROUND CUT PATTERNS

S.No. Name of cut Suitable type of description application Method of mining remark
pattern rock
1 Pyramid cut/ 1.Thick deposits Holes are drilled in horizontal plane w.r.t. face. drifting Its modified
Diamond Holes nearly meet at the centre of face. form is called
cut/double 2.very Hard rock Hole depth is approximately 50-60% of gallery width. cone cut.
wedge cut Consume very less explosive.
2 wedge cut/ 1.Thick deposits Holes are drilled at 45’ with the face plane. Coal mining Bord and pillar method Similar to
v- cut pattern Hole depth is restricted to 50% of drift width. pyramid cut
2.Hard rocks Consume very less explosive.
Suitable for large cross section drifts.
3 Burn cut 1.Hard brittle Parallel holes are drilled perpendicular to face plane. Metal mining Room and pillar method Called
rock Centre hole is charged and is surrounded by 4 empty parallel hole
2.Metallic holes ( large dia holes). cut.
deposits, massive Heavy charging is done.
rock formation Popular cut in underground metalliferous mining.
4 Coromant cut 1.Drifts/tunnels Very sophisticated cut pattern. For drift of very Similar to
of small cross Holes are drilled with help of pusher leg drill, guide small cross section. burn cut.
section in any tube, template and expander. Also called
rock Template is used to mark the hole spot for slot. parallel hole
2. sensitive areas Expander is used to expand the diameter of centre cut.
like river banks, hole.
pond periphery. Guide tube is used to drill 57 mm diameter hole at the
centre of the face.
Group of canter hole and six outer holes is called slot.
Centre hole is left uncharged.

5 Ring cut Moderately hard Holes are drilled in 360’ along a vertical plane. Coal and metal Blasting gallery method
And soft rocks Roof support is done in advance with cable bolting mining Shrinkage stoping
6 Fan cut 1.For laminated Holes are placed at distance such that each hole has drifting
strata to work for itself.
2. soft rock Heavy charging is done in the holes because holes are
independent.
7 Drag cut Laminated strata Suitable for small drifts. For drifting of 15-
Soft rock Holes are drilled parallel but perpendicular to the 20 m.
cleavage plane. Not suitable for
Because of dependency on the cleavage plane, ventilation drifting
direction of the drift changes frequently.
All patterns can be classified in two categories- inclined hole patterns and straight hole patterns.