Windway

nounStandard termMining

A dedicated tunnel or passage used to route ventilation air through a mine.

An underground opening maintained specifically for the passage of ventilation air. Windways are carefully designed to minimize friction and turbulence, ensuring that fresh air reaches the working faces and noxious gases or dust are safely exhausted to the surface.

Heard on the job

We need a crew to clear the debris out of the main return windway to drop the ventilation resistance.

Also heard as

  • wind road
  • airway