PRESS RELEASE: The shaft is 10m in diameter and 1,284m deep. DCM blasted the last bench on January 13 after a lengthy shaft-sinking programme that endured a number of prolonged work shutdowns at the project.

Michel Charron, project director at Turquoise Hill Resources, stated: “The milestone was made all the more impressive by the exceptional safety performance.”

Oyu Tolgoi’s Number 2 shaft is a combined skipping and service shaft which will support the early development and extraction activities at the South Hugo Dummett block cave mine. DCM employed approximately 200 Mongolian nationals to make up 75% of the shaft workforce in order to complete the construction project. In addition to shaft sinking efforts, nearly 135,000m³ of mass excavation has been completed in order to support the high tonnage installations yet to be completed.

The DCM team is currently focusing on the installation of the 7.2m diameter production friction hoist and 6.75m diameter service hoist installation atop the concrete headframe, concurrent with shaft outfitting efforts. Once complete, this installation will be one of the largest of its kind in the world, capable of hoisting 30,000t/d day in rock, and transporting people and supplies via the 24.3m² service cage.