What machinery and equipment is used in mining and processing wolframite?
OK…it has been several years since my Mining Engineering classes, but here goes…. There are different methods of mining but here is one basic process. If it is mined in an underground mine, not a surface pit mine, then there would be machines for drilling blast holes, often called a drill jumbo. It is a machine with multiple arms each equipped with a drill that can drill a hole into the rock several feet. The operator will position with drills at predetermined locations start the machine and sit back and watch the magic happen. After the holes are drilled they will be filled with a blasting agent such ANFO (ammonium nitrate – fuel oil). The equipment to load the blast holes is sometimes called a “powder monkey” and it simply uses high volume compressed air to blow and compact the explosive into the holes. Once the holes are loaded, detonation lines are connected and everybody is cleared out, the explosives are detonated. This usually happens at the end of the day. After the explosi
