Breakthrough at the centre shaft of the Ibbenbüren mine water channel
After around 15 months of construction, the first section of the 7.4 km-long mine water channel has been driven. The breakthrough after 3.2 km marks an important milestone for the long-term water drainage in Ibbenbüren.
“Today is a special day for RAG. We have completed the first stage of the mine water channel. My thanks go in particular to the miners involved. Of course, this is not the first breakthrough we have experienced here today. But this one here at the Miriam tunnel is a milestone for RAG” emphasised RAG CEO Peter Schrimpf. “This is an immensely important project for us; we will never pump water here, which is an ecological innovation.”
The innovative character of the long-term water drainage at the Ibbenbüren site is part of the mine water concept of RAG Aktiengesellschaft, Essen/Germany. In Ibbenbüren, the mine water will be able to be conducted into the mine water channel without pressure – i. e. without the use of energy. After the mine water has risen to 63 m ASL, no pumps will have to be operated, as in the Westfeld. This means a significant improvement in water quality and energy savings. “On a day like this, you feel proud. A breakthrough with this precision is an uplifting moment. We have been working on this project for over ten years, so the breakthrough at the Miriam tunnel is very special,” said Jürgen Kunz, head of the RAG Ibbenbüren division.
The breakthrough was eagerly awaited: the tunnel boring machine, christened “Barbara”, reached the centre shaft of the mine water channel at a depth of 73 m, exactly on target. This impressive moment was honoured by Schrimpf, Jürgen Rupp, CFO of the RAG Stiftung, Essen, and Kunz. Also present were the godmother of the western section, Miriam März, Head of the Human Resources & Development Division of RAG, and the employees of the Ibbenbüren Division of RAG who were involved in the project, as well as the project partners of the ARGE Tunnelbau consortium and representatives of the Arnsberg district government (Figure 1).
“This is my eighth breakthrough to date. You’re always afraid that you won’t hit it. And then it works down to the millimetre. Tunnel construction is an absolute team sport, it only works together. We are very happy today,” said Rukan Mengü, Tunnel Construction Manager, Shift Engineer at Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG, Frankfurt/M. in Germany.
The Miriam tunnel that has now been driven will enable the mine water from the eastern and western fields of the Ibbenbüren mine to be fed into the new mine water treatment plant in Gravenhorst, which is currently under construction. The breakthrough of the east drive is planned for December 2024. The mine water currently rising in the eastern field is not expected to reach the surface until spring 2026 at the earliest. (RAG/Si.)
