Up-over

nounStandard termMining

An excavation technique where a vertical shaft is driven upward from a lower level.

This method of shaft construction involves driving a horizontal drift to the target location on a lower level, then excavating upward toward the surface or an upper level. By raising the shaft instead of sinking it, miners allow gravity to clear the blasted rock down into the lower drift, where it can be easily loaded and hauled away.

Heard on the job

We'll drive the up-over from the 400 level to connect with the main ventilation return.