A narrow underground passage driven to connect two parallel tunnels, primarily to establish a ventilation circuit. Once the air is flowing through the new crossheading, older ones behind it are typically sealed off with stoppings to force fresh air closer to the active working face.
Heard on the job
The air is getting dead at the face, so the crew is blasting a crossheading to link up with the return airway.
Also heard as
- cut-through