An airtight barrier constructed in an underground crosscut or airway to prevent fresh intake air from short-circuiting into the exhaust system. Stoppings are built from concrete blocks, steel panels, or fire-resistant brattice cloth. They force the ventilation current to travel all the way to the active working faces where it is needed to dilute gases and dust.
Heard on the job
The ventilation officer wants a permanent block stopping built in the old crosscut by Friday.
Also heard as
- ventilation stopping
- bulkhead
Do not mix it up with
- Stoping: A stopping blocks airflow, whereas stoping is the process of blasting out ore.
Related terms
Brattice
A temporary or permanent partition erected underground to direct ventilation airflow.
Overcast
An enclosed bridge built to allow one ventilation air current to cross over another without mixing.
Airway
Any underground gallery, drift, or shaft designated specifically for routing ventilation air through a mine.