Mine Water Inrush Rescue Drilling Rig: CMD100 Emergency Response at Zhongcun Coal Mine, 2016
Executive Summary
On July 2, 2016 at 22:53, a major water inrush accident occurred at Zhongcun Coal Mine in Qinshui County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province. Twelve miners were trapped 117 m underground. As water levels rose, the confined working space suffered severe oxygen depletion and supplies were completely cut off. Responding to the emergency order, the company immediately dispatched a CORTECH® CMD100 full hydraulic truck-mounted drilling rig that was working at a nearby site. Within one hour, the rig was on location, installed, commissioned and drilling. Using large-diameter air fast drilling with precise directional control, the crew opened the 117 m life passage in under 5 hours, delivering oxygen, nutrient solution and medicine to the trapped area and establishing stable communication. Eight trapped miners were rescued. This operation demonstrated the real-combat response capability of domestic emergency rescue equipment.
Project Background & Challenge
The accident conditions made a rapid borehole the difference between life and death:
- Rising water, falling oxygen: with water climbing in a confined space, oxygen shortage and cut-off supplies left the trapped miners in an immediately critical situation.
- Broken, unstable ground: the accident zone featured fractured geology, high water levels and extremely unstable strata — conditions that make rescue drilling slow and hazardous.
- Slow conventional response: traditional rescue equipment deployed slowly, worked inefficiently and carried high operational risk, so opening a life passage against the clock was the priority.
Our Solution
The response depended on having a rig already close by and ready to move:
- Nearby rig, one-hour mobilization: the CMD100 was working at a neighboring site; on the emergency order it relocated, set up, commissioned and began drilling within one hour — cutting the critical response time.
- Large-diameter air fast drilling: air-powered drilling accelerated penetration through the broken, water-bearing ground.
- Precise directional control: the crew steered the borehole accurately to the trapped zone rather than drifting, which is essential when every meter of drilling counts.
Key Results
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Incident | Zhongcun Coal Mine water inrush, July 2, 2016, 22:53 |
| Miners trapped | 12 (at 117 m underground) |
| Mobilization to drilling | Within 1 hour of the order |
| Rescue borehole depth | 117 m |
| Time to open life passage | Under 5 hours (spud through breakthrough) |
| Supplies delivered | Oxygen, nutrient solution, medicine; stable communication |
| Miners rescued | 8 |
| Drilling method | Large-diameter air fast drilling, directional control |
For the full technical specifications of the CORTECH® CMD100, see the CMD100 product page.
Customer Value & ROI
- Response time saved lives: a one-hour mobilization and sub-five-hour borehole converted the rig's proximity into critical minutes for the trapped miners.
- Proven in real emergency conditions: operating experience in fractured, water-bearing ground is exactly what rescue planners need when selecting equipment for future incidents.
- Standards recognition: the operation earned high recognition from government authorities, professional rescue teams and the public.
- Readiness lesson: keeping capable rigs deployed near mining areas is itself an emergency asset.
FAQ
How fast can a rescue drilling rig mobilize after a mine water inrush?
In the Zhongcun response, a CMD100 working at a nearby site relocated, set up, commissioned and began drilling within one hour of the emergency order, then opened the 117 m life passage in under 5 hours.
How deep is a typical mine rescue life borehole?
In this incident the trapped miners were at 117 m underground, and the rescue borehole was drilled to exactly that depth to reach them.
What supplies are delivered through a rescue borehole?
Once the 117 m passage broke through, oxygen, nutrient solution and medicine were delivered through it, and stable communication with the trapped miners was established.
Which rig handles emergency rescue drilling in unstable water-bearing strata?
A truck-mounted, rapidly deployable rig like the CMD100 — using large-diameter air fast drilling with precise directional control — was used here to penetrate the fractured, water-bearing ground quickly and accurately.
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