Shaft Sinking
Shaft Sinking
Shaft sinking in hard rock is a demanding and technically complex operation in mining, tunnelling, hydropower, and civil engineering. Working vertically within a narrow, enclosed space presents safety, access, and ventilation challenges that make traditional breaking techniques difficult to use. Drilling and blasting can be heavily restricted due to vibration limits, flyrock risk, and the difficulty of clearing fumes from deep shafts. Mechanical breakers often struggle in competent rock and create high noise and dust levels that slow progress and put pressure on ventilation systems.
Yamamoto Rock Splitter offers a controlled, non-explosive solution for shaft sinking in hard rock. Their powerful hydraulic splitting force breaks rock cleanly from within pre-drilled holes, delivering safe, predictable progress without vibration, gas emissions, or flyrock. This makes them an ideal choice for deep shafts, confined working platforms, and locations where blasting is either restricted or impractical.
The challenges of shaft sinking
Vertical excavation adds several layers of complexity:
- Confined workspace – Shaft sinking teams operate in tight conditions where manoeuvring equipment is restricted and safe access is critical.
- Vibration and blast limits – Existing infrastructure, nearby tunnels, or urban locations may prohibit blasting entirely or require extremely low vibration thresholds.
- Ventilation constraints – Removing dust, fumes, and heat is more difficult in deep shafts, making high-impact methods less suitable.
- Safety at depth – Flyrock, overbreak, and uncontrolled fracturing pose significant risks when workers and equipment are positioned directly above or below the working face.
- Programme risk – Slow progress directly extends project timelines, impacting subsequent excavation, lining, and installation works.
Why choose Yamamoto Rock Splitter for shaft sinking?
Yamamoto technology delivers efficient, controlled rock removal suited to the highly regulated and confined nature of shaft sinking operations.
Low vibration and no flyrock: The splitting process avoids shock waves and ejected debris, protecting workers and surrounding structures.
No fumes or explosives: Safer for deep shafts with limited ventilation; no gas clearance times are required.
High performance in hard rock: Splitter excels in strong, abrasive formations where breakers become slow and inefficient.
Exceptional control: Fractures propagate along the drilled pattern, maintaining a clean shaft profile and reducing overbreak.
Compact implementation: Yamamoto systems can be used with davit-mounted arms, winch platforms, or compact excavators adapted for shaft work.
Cost-effective and predictable: Reduced reliance on specialised blasting teams and simpler cycle management help improve productivity.
Using Yamamoto Rock Splitter for shaft sinking
Yamamoto hydraulic rock splitter provide a safe, non-explosive solution for trenching in rock. After pre-drilling, the splitter’s wedges apply powerful hydraulic pressure, fracturing rock efficiently without vibration, noise, or flying debris.
How it works for shaft sinking (typical workflow):
Using a Yamamoto Rock Splitter vertically works best for trenching excavation:
Drilling
- Drill split holes of Ø102mm x 1.5m depth for HRB-1000 splitter or Ø127mm x 2.5m or HRB-1700 splitter using a large size hydraulic crawler drill or jumbo drill rig.
- We recommend drilling in a staggered patter with 500-700mm of spacing between holes for HRB-1000 and 700-1000mm for HRB-1700, as illustrated in the diagram.
Splitting
- Mount splitter on a customised carrier equipped with a telescopic boom and rotator, we recommend using Yamamoto Arm-System YTB-1120.
- Start splitting the holes closest to the free face by inserting splitter wedges into the holes. Aim at working from the bottom and up to allow support from gravity.
- Split in 3 steps:
- First, insert half of the total length of the wedge and split.
- Second, further insert ¾ of the total length and split again.
- Finally, insert full length of wedge and split again.
Secondary breaking and mucking
- Work along the cracks caused by the splitter, use a hydraulic breaker mounted on a conventional excavator to break out the cracked rock.
- Use mucking method that suits each project, typically done with a standard excavator.
Ideal applications
Yamamoto Rock Splitter deliver consistent performance across a wide range of shaft sinking scenarios, including:
- Mine access shafts
- Ventilation shafts
- Hydropower and surge shafts
- Lift shafts and deep excavation cores
- Utility and service shafts
- Pump stations and vertical chambers
- Deepened basements and infrastructure upgrades
Shaft Sinking FAQs
Yes. Rock splitters produce no fumes and very low vibration, making them ideal for deep shafts where ventilation is limited and safety requirements are strict.
Blasting can be productive but is often limited by vibration restrictions, safety regulations, and fume clearance times. Splitting offers controlled progress with minimal disturbance and fewer stoppages.
Shaft sinking typically uses 102 cmdiameter drill holes for HRB-1000 and 127 mm diameter for HRB-1700, depending on the geology and the desired break pattern.
Yes. Yamamoto rock splitter can be deployed in tight spaces using compact mounts or arm systems suited to narrow shaft diameters.
Yes. Controlled fractures help maintain the designed shaft diameter, reducing unnecessary excavation and lining costs.
Fractured blocks can be lifted using buckets, grabs, or specialised mucking systems, depending on shaft depth and diameter.
Absolutely. They eliminate explosive risks, reduce debris hazards, and limit high-impact vibration, making them one of the safest tools for deep vertical excavation.