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    CRCHI TBM at Chambishi copper mine: design and planning notes for engineers

    May 23, 2026|

    Reviewed by Joe Ashwell

    First reported on International Mining – News

    30 Second Briefing

    CRCHI’s first mining tunnel boring machine has begun underground cutting at NFCA’s Chambishi copper mine in Zambia’s Copperbelt, with initial rotation of the cutterhead starting on 13 May. Developed in Changsha, Hunan, by China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Corporation, the TBM marks the debut of a China-designed unit specifically for mining applications rather than civil tunnelling. For mine planners and geotechnical teams, successful performance at Chambishi could open wider use of TBMs for long ore drives and access tunnels in hard-rock African operations.

    Technical Brief

    • Cutterhead start-up underground implies prior completion of shaft sinking, chamber excavation and TBM assembly.
    • Underground launch demands precise alignment to pre-surveyed orebody drives, limiting deviation to tight mining tolerances.
    • Mining TBM configuration will need compatibility with rock support cycles (bolting, mesh, shotcrete) in confined headings.
    • Interface with mine power reticulation constrains installed TBM drive power and start-up sequencing.
    • Logistics for cutterhead and shield transport down existing shafts impose strict limits on TBM module dimensions and weight.
    • Successful operation could justify TBM-based development for long, straight access drives where drill-and-blast is schedule-critical.

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    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

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