Abstract: A method of mining an underground ore body includes the steps of: excavating a plurality of laterally spaced first, ventilation tunnels in the ore body using an auger mining machine; excavating a plurality of laterally spaced second tunnels in the ore body, each second tunnel intersecting at least one associated first tunnel and thereby defining a plurality of first support walls for supporting a roof of the mine, the first support walls comprising regions of the ore body intermediate adjacent second tunnels and each first support wall having a portion of at least one first tunnel extending laterally therethrough; providing a plurality of lateral conduits, each of which is aligned across a respective second tunnel between respective first tunnel portions defined in adjacent first support walls, to provide a series of continuos ventilation tunnels; backfilling the second tunnels to provide a plurality of second support walls for supporting the roof of the mine; and excavating the first support walls.

Abstract: A method of mining an underground ore body, includes the steps of excavating at least one first tunnel in the ore body by means of an auger mining machine, and excavating at least one second tunnel in the ore body, the, or each, second tunnel coinciding in at least one point with at least one associated first tunnel. The invention extends to a method of backfill mining of an underground ore body, the method including the steps of excavating at least one first region of the ore body to retain at least one second region defined in the ore body, the, or each, second region providing a first support for a roof of the mine; backfilling at least one of the excavated first regions to provide a second support for the roof of the mine; and excavating at least a portion of the, or at least one of, the second regions of the ore body.