Decline development, lateral drives, raise boring, shaft sinking, paste fill systems, and underground infrastructure — building the access architecture that makes everything else possible.
Underground development is the foundation of every underground mine. Before a single tonne of ore is extracted, hundreds of metres of decline, cross-cuts, ventilation drives, and infrastructure excavations must be completed to create the access network that production depends upon. The quality, speed, and cost of this development work determines whether an orebody is economically viable — and poor development practices create problems that compound throughout the entire life of mine.
Jahkai's underground development teams bring deep experience across decline development, lateral headings, vertical openings, and infrastructure excavations. Our crews have developed headings in every ground condition — from competent granite to squeezing ground, from massive sulphides to heavily faulted sediments. We understand that development is not just about advance rate; it is about profile control, ground support quality, serviceability for follow-on activities, and the long-term stability of openings that may need to remain functional for decades.
We operate both conventional drill-and-blast development and mechanised development using roadheaders, selecting the method based on ground conditions, heading dimensions, vibration constraints, and production requirements.
Underground development demands reliable, well-maintained equipment operated by competent crews. We deploy the following equipment platforms based on the specific requirements of each development program.
We employ people from the place the mine is, and we train them on the tools, in the mine, from offsider through operator to supervisor. We leave a trainer behind.
Underground development requires a broader range of skills than any other mining discipline. A complete development crew must include competent jumbo operators, shotfirers, ground support operators, LHD operators, and charge-up crews — all coordinated by supervisors who understand the development cycle as an integrated system. Jahkai's training programs build this complete capability.
Every training module follows a structured progression: classroom theory, supervised practical application, assessed competency demonstration, and ongoing mentoring during independent operation. We train people from the place the mine is until they are competent operators who understand why each procedure exists — because understanding creates safety culture, and safety culture is what keeps people alive underground.