Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (Moscow, Russia):

Arens V. Zh., Vice-President, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences

Khcheyan G. Kh., Scientific Secretary of Mining and Metallurgical Section, Doctor of Engineering Sciences

«Podzemgazprom» LLC (Moscow, Russia):

Khrulyov A. S., Head of Department, Doctor of Engineering Sciences

Hydraulic borehole mining of sands was proved by experimental and industrial works in Middle Priobye, Tomsk Oblast and Altai Krai. There were developed the seams with thickness from 8 to 44 m. The sand was raised from the depths of 15-270 m. Technology of hydraulic borehole mining of sands through inclined holes was also succesfully tested for low strength characteristics of overburden, swamped surface and small thickness of seams. Researches of hydraulic borehole mining of sands in permafrost rocks with usage of steam-generating plant were carried out on Yamal Peninsula by specialists of «Podzemgazprom» LLC. Special well is drilled from the Earth surface. Water is pumped into free interval of well by hole clearance of work strings. The pulp — mixture of water with unfrozen sandy rock — is driven out to the surface by the central string. Hermiticity of constructed excavation is provided by artificial cooling of casing string, and the level of water in excavation is maintained lower than the casing shoe by injection of compressed air or natural gas into it. According to the results of hydrolocation survey, capacity of formed underground cave is 4.9 th. m³. There is substantiated the sufficient decreasing of cost price and more high quality of extracted solid sand (in comparison with traditional method of open cast mining of sand-gravel mixtures in analogue natural-climatic conditions). Formed underground caves are used as reservoirs for storage of liquid hydrocarbons or burial of fine fraction mining wastes (for example, wells drilling slimes).

1. Arens V. Zh., Babichev N. I., Bashkatov A. D. et al. Skvazhinnaya gidrodobycha poleznykh iskopaemykh (Hydraulic borehole mining of minerals). Moscow : Gornaya kniga, 2011, 293 p.
2. Kuzmin G. P., Yakovlev A. V. Podzemnye rezervuary v merzlykh gruntakh (Underground reservoirs in permafrost soils). Yakutsk : Melnikov Permafrost Institute of Siberian Branch, 1992, 152 p.
3. Sposob podzemnogo zakhoroneniya burovykh otkhodov v mnogoletnemerzlykh porodakh (Method of underground burial of drill cuttings in permafrost rocks). Patents RF, No. 2438953; 2422218; 2422347.