Last tubing ring in GG-1 shaft

At the beginning of February, the last tubing ring was installed in the freezing zone of the thirty first shaft being built in the Polish Copper Basin. Thus, the construction of GG-1 entered a new stage - sinking in shotcrete lining.

For the construction of the first GG-1 section, PeBeKa employees used 466 cash iron tubing rings that protect the shaft against being flooded to the level of 710.3 metres, therefore in the area passing across waterlogged tertiary sands and layers of sandstone. In order to comprehensively protect the GG-1 shaft against water, a modern drainage system was installed. This was a huge challenge for the PeBeKa team, as the last solution of this type was used in the SG-2 shaft over twenty years ago. The installation was designed so as to let water out to the surface, as there were no workings below the shaft, to which water could be drained.

The GG-1 shaft is located in Polkowice county, Grębocice municipality, approx. half a kilometre to the north west of the Kwielice village centre; its construction started in the summer of 2010. The sinking process started in December 2013. This is a strategic investment of KGHM Polska Miedź that will enable access to deep copper ore deposits lying below 1200 metres. Access to those resources will ensure continues copper ore mining for years.

Two basic parameters of the GG-1 shaft are the depth of approx. 1340 metres and the shaft inside diameter of 7.5 metres. Przedsiębiorstwo Budowy Kopalń PeBeKa is the general contractor for the entire investment.