Method for the sealing of mine stoppings

Claim 1

A method of sealing of mine stopping utilizing non-reactive fillers and optionally associated fibers, said method being useful in the sealing of mine stoppings, under wet or humid conditions, said method comprising providing an aqueous curable sealant composition having good shelf life, said composition having first and second components, said first component comprising on a total weight basis (a) from about 10 to 85% by weight an alkali metal silicate solution and (b) about 2 to about 50% of at least a one non-reactive filler, said, second component being essentially a solution on a total weight basis of from about 0.7% to about 10.0% of a water soluble or water miscible reactant for said alkaline metal silicate, bringing said two components together with sufficient mixing to form a sealing composition, applying said composition in a surface coating to said stoppings and permitting said compositions to set in a chemical reaction to initiate gel formation, said chemical reaction involving said alkali metal silicate and said water miscible reactant, while being exposed to wet or humid conditions to form an impervious sealant coating imparting structural strength and also preventing penetration of air and dust through said stoppings.

Claim 2

A method of sealing of mine stopping utilizing non-reactive fillers and optionally associated fibers, said method being useful in the sealing of mine stoppings, under wet or humid conditions, said method comprising providing an aqueous curable sealant composition having good shelf life, said composition having first and second components, said first component comprising on a total weight basis (a) from about 10 to 85% by weight an alkali metal silicate solution and (b) about 2 to about 50% of at least a one non-reactive filler, said, second component being essentially a solution on a total weight basis of from about 0.7% to about 10.0% of a water soluble or water miscible reactant for said alkaline metal silicate, bringing said two components together with sufficient mixing to form a sealing composition, applying said composition in a surface coating to said stoppings and permitting said compositions to set in a chemical reaction to initiate gel formation, said chemical reaction involving said alkali metal silicate and said water miscible reactant, while being exposed to wet or humid conditions to form an impervious sealant coating imparting structural strength and also preventing penetration of air and dust through said stoppings.