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To: hank2010 who wrote (59686)	5/26/2008 6:46:23 AM
From: E. Charters	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 78424

That is pretty high for driving a drift. I was quoted about $1000 to $1500 a foot for establishing collar or portal and thereafter about $800 a foot for 7 to 1 ramp, which is significantly higher cost than drifting. But I got together with a contractor and we discussed costs on even a small job and he was of the opinion we could do it for $600 a foot for ramp and for underground trackless drift for galleries about $400 a foot. There are some contractors right now quoting some pretty outlandish figures. Like $2000 a foot for ramps. I realize fuel and labour are higher than they were ten years ago, and contracts are at a premium but I don't think it has to be that high. In 1985 we could drive ramp at about 400 a foot and make a good profit. Today that would be $750 with inflation. You could add some for tires and premium charges, so I will get to get parity you could see charges of $1000 a foot. Dynamite, fuel, rubber tires and labour have exceeded inflation. Regs are tougher today too. I would add some for that. What you are seeing in charges like $1500 for drifting depends on the ground, but I will bet it is just lack of competition. It does not cost the contractor $750 a foot to drive the drift. Let's look at it. Powder factor 4 lbs per ton. Bit wear, one every 300 feet. Steel wear 1 per shift. Labour per heading 9 men plus 3 staff 24 hours. $3300 Machine cap cost 5 years 1000 days, $600 per day. Fuel cost three machines $1000 per day. Machine maintenance cost per day $600. Bit cost per day $300. Steel cost per day $200. Dynamite cost per day, 3 blasts - $1200. Rockbolts/screen $1200. Piping/ducting advance - $1200 Air costs per day $325 Housing $800 other rentals $500 -- Total $11,225 -- over 24 feet per day. $467.00 per foot. To make a profit you could charge $900 per foot. If you had to cement that would be a lot higher, as it slows down the advance by half at least and drives up costs per foot for materials. EC:<-}