Jenny Campbell, Survey Technician
MY DAY
Planning a drift
Planners consult with geologists to see where the ore is and to figure out which drifts* to explore. Then my survey partner and I go underground and mark the spot up with paint marks so the drillers know where to blast it.
Once the drifts get a little farther in, we put two smoke marks in the back that tell the drillers to drive the drift straight. They usually drive at a plus 3% grade so every hundred feet in a drift we go back and move the smoke marks and grades up.
*Note: Drifts are mine tunnels that are horizontal or at a slight incline to make hauling easier. Jenny's marks and calculations help the rest of the mining team know how to work with a particular drift, or section of the mine.