The hanging wall is the upper rock boundary of a dipping fault, vein, or seam. Because gravity pulls this rock mass downward into the void left by extraction, it requires extensive ground control and support systems to keep the stope safe. Its counterpart is the footwall, which lies beneath the ore.
The hanging wall is highly fractured here, so we'll need extra rock bolts and mesh.
A classic way to remember: if you were standing inside the excavated vein, your feet would rest on the footwall and you could hang a lantern on the hanging wall.
Also heard as
- hanging side
Do not mix it up with
- Footwall: The hanging wall rests above the ore body, while the footwall lies beneath it.
Related terms
Footwall
The block of rock that lies on the underside of an inclined fault or mineral vein.
Stope
To excavate ore from an underground block by driving a series of steps or horizontal cuts.
Roofbolt
A long steel rod anchored into the ceiling of an underground excavation to prevent rockfalls.
Veinstuff
The non-valuable minerals and rock that fill a vein alongside the target ore.