3.3.4 Hoisting

After crushing, the ore is moved by a conveyor system to a large container called a "loading pocket."

The loading pocket is used to measure the quantity of ore to be hoisted to the surface.

Once the loading pocket is full, it is emptied into a hoisting bucket (also called a "skip" or "hoppit"), attached to a cable connected to a hoist at the surface.

		Loading pocket emptying its load into a skip.
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There are often two skips in a shaft, which counterbalance one another and thus reduce the amount of electricity required for hoisting.

The skips are very sturdy. They can carry 3 to 20 tonnes of ore or waste rock.

The skips are lifted up to a structure called a "headframe" and emptied into a bin.

		Skip emptying its load.
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There is usually a bin for ore and a bin for waste rock.

		Ore (large) and waste rock (small) bins.
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The hoists, which operate the hoist cables of the skips, are extremely powerful. They pull the skips to the surface at a speed of 18 to 60 km/hr.

They are operated from a building at the surface, usually called a "hoist room," which is near the mine’s headframe.

		Hoist used to lift skips. On the top right, you can see the hoisting cable running from outside the hoist station to the mine headframe, located directly above the mine shaft.
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