The ore is mined in the ordinary way, by pick and shovel if soft, or by the aid of powder if necessary, and the funnel-shaped bottom of the pit is maintained at such an angle that little or no shovelling is required to bring the excavated material to the shaft.

In this method of mining the different stopes must be kept close together; otherwise there is much added labour in shovelling the broken ore down to the main level.

if by shovelling.