A primary horizontal or slightly inclined underground tunnel driven through rock or ore. Unlike a crosscut, a drift typically follows the strike of the orebody or coal seam. It serves as a main artery for ventilation, haulage, and personnel access between shafts and active working areas.
We need to extend the main drift another fifty meters to reach the next panel.
Do not mix it up with
- Crosscut: A drift follows the ore vein, while a crosscut intersects it at an angle.
Related terms
Adit
A horizontal or near-horizontal tunnel driven from the surface into a mountain or hillside to access an ore body.
Crosscut
A horizontal underground tunnel driven across the main strike of the rock formation.
Driftway
A horizontal or near-horizontal underground passage driven along the strike of an ore vein.
Same word, different worlds
Slow, steady creep of a process or gauge reading in one direction as something wears, depletes or ages.
Measurement UncertaintyGradual change in an instrument's readings over time that comes from the instrument itself, not from what it measures.
Auto Repair & CarsA driving technique where the driver intentionally oversteers to break rear traction while maintaining control.