Abstract
Small vertical shafts can play a significant role in small scale mining as they
represent a quick and efficient method to gain access to veins located 20 to 50 m
below surface. Historically, in central Africa, colonials effectively used vertical
shafts to exploit veins 30 to 100 m deep. This paper investigates current small
scale shaft sinking methods to access blocks of mineralised material some 30 m
below surface. The practical aspect of hand development as a means of shaft
sinking, the timbering process, infrastructure, and methods to hoist broken rock
from the shaft are also discussed.