A vertical or steeply inclined excavation driven underground to connect an upper level with a lower level. Unlike a main hoisting shaft, a staple never breaks the surface. It is used for ventilation, dropping ore down to a main haulage level, or moving personnel and materials between specific horizons within the mine.
We need to sink a staple down to the 400 level to improve airflow in the western stopes.
If it has hoisting equipment installed, it is almost always called a staple shaft rather than a winze or raise.
Also heard as
- staple shaft
- blind shaft
Do not mix it up with
- Winze: A winze is driven downward from a level, while a staple is a general term for an internal shaft that can be driven up or down, often fully equipped for hoisting.
Related terms
Winze
An internal mine shaft excavated downward from one underground level to a lower one.
Inset
A horizontal opening partway down a vertical mine shaft that provides access to intermediate levels.
Blind level
An underground horizontal passage that connects two vertical shafts but does not open to the surface.