Causes de rupture des câbles métalliques de treuils miniers : fatigue, usure, corrosion et redistribution des charges

A mine-hoist wire rope is not a solid steel bar. It is a moving assembly of helically laid wires and strands. During each winding cycle, those elements carry changing tension, bend over sheaves or onto drums, twist, press against adjacent wires and undergo small relative movements. The result is a distributed mechanical system in which damage may begin at a surface, an internal contact, a corrosion pit or a local defect before it becomes visible at rope scale.

The final fracture therefore does not necessarily identify the initiating cause. Progressive wear, fatigue, corrosion or earlier wire breaks can reduce effective load-bearing capacity. Full-rope experiments further show that wear and broken wires can redistribute load so that surviving wires may ultimately fail by ductile overload. Conversely, a severe one-time overload, attachment failure or material nonconformity can produce a different history. Understanding mine hoist wire rope failure therefore requires distinguishing the initiating degradation mechanism from damage propagation, loss of effective section and the final fracture mode. (Schrems, 1994; Chang et al., 2019; Zhang et al., 2017; Singh, Mallick and Verma, 2016)

How the evidence was reviewed

Cet article constitue une revue narrative d'ingénierie fondée sur la recherche, et non une revue systématique, une méta-analyse ou une étude exhaustive de la littérature. Des recherches ciblées ont été menées dans les bases de données d'éditeurs de revues et les registres DOI concernant la dynamique des treuils de mine, le fretting des câbles métalliques, la fatigue par flexion, l'usure, la fatigue-corrosion, la torsion, la redistribution des charges en cas de rupture de fils, les expertises de défaillance, le contrôle électromagnétique et les essais de résistance résiduelle. Les recherches et la vérification des normes ont été achevées le 3 septembre 2026. La priorité a été accordée aux études originales évaluées par des pairs, aux données probantes spécifiques aux mines, aux expériences sur câbles complets et aux défaillances en service ; les essais sur fils isolés et multifilaires n'ont été conservés que pour les conclusions relatives aux mécanismes. Les notices officielles des catalogues ISO et BSI, le texte actuel du code eCFR, la documentation de la MSHA, les directives du HSE britannique et le code approuvé de la Nouvelle-Galles du Sud d'avril 2026 ont fait l'objet de vérifications distinctes.

Les combinaisons de recherche représentatives comprenaient “ câble de treuil de mine ”, “ fatigue du câble d'extraction de mine ”, “ frettage des câbles métalliques ”, “ fatigue-corrosion des câbles de mine ”, “ fatigue par flexion des câbles métalliques ”, “ CND des câbles Koepe ”, “ redistribution de charge des fils rompus ”, “ inspection des câbles de puits de mine ” et “ analyse des défaillances des câbles de extracción minière ”. Les études ont été retenues lorsqu'elles contribuaient directement à la dynamique des treuils de mine, aux mécanismes d'endommagement des câbles ou des fils, à l'analyse des défaillances, à l'inspection ou à l'interprétation de la résistance résiduelle. Les études générales sur les câbles métalliques ont été dépriorisées, sauf en l'absence de données spécifiques aux mines ou si la clarification d'un mécanisme était nécessaire. Les listes de références et les pistes de citation des articles principaux pertinents ont été examinées de manière sélective afin de localiser des études originales supplémentaires.

Les types de preuves sont identifiés dans le texte car un modèle, un essai au niveau du câble, une expérience accélérée sur câble complet, un cas médico-légal et un seuil juridique répondent à des questions différentes. Les résultats contradictoires ont été interprétés à la lumière de l'échelle des essais, du chargement, de l'environnement et de la question de savoir si une étude a mesuré l'amorçage ou la propagation des fissures. Plusieurs articles expérimentaux cités proviennent de groupes de recherche interconnectés de l'Université des mines et de la technologie de Chine ; ils forment un programme de recherche cohérent, et non de multiples réplications indépendantes. Des données indépendantes d'ordre médico-légal, de surveillance sur site et issues de câbles réformés provenant des États-Unis, de l'Inde, de la Turquie, de la Pologne et de la Slovaquie élargissent cette limite, mais ne l'éliminent pas.

A mine winding rope experiences a load history, not one static load

La charge suspendue nominale ne décrit pas l'ensemble des contraintes imposées à un câble d'extraction minière. L'accélération, la décélération, les vibrations, la variation de la longueur suspendue, la flexion, la torsion et les régimes transitoires de fonctionnement modifient à la fois la tension du système et les conditions locales aux points de contact des fils.

La modélisation du système réalisée par Wang, Zhang et Ge illustre la différence entre les échelles globales et locales. Pour un modèle spécifique de treuil de mine de charbon, les auteurs ont calculé une tension dynamique du câble variant de 0 à 30,9 kN. Ils ont ensuite déterminé des charges de contact entre câbles de 38,3, 60,5, 102,7 et 378 N, ainsi que des déplacements relatifs de 62,5 et 113,2 μm au niveau de points de contact particuliers. Il s’agissait de données issues de simulations destinées à des essais ultérieurs sur les câbles — et non de mesures sur le terrain, ni de charges de calcul, ni de limites transposables à un autre puits. Leur valeur est d’ordre conceptuel : le mouvement à grande échelle d’un treuil peut générer des mouvements internes de faible amplitude susceptibles de provoquer des dommages par frottement. (Wang, Zhang et Ge, 2013 ; Wang et al., 2012)

La profondeur du puits importe parce qu'un câble suspendu plus long ajoute un poids propre et modifie la réponse dynamique du système. La profondeur à elle seule ne provoque pas de défaillance ; elle agit de concert avec la masse du câble, la charge utile, le profil de vitesse, le type de treuil, la géométrie et le service. L'utilisation de formules de résistance minimale dépendant de la longueur dans la réglementation minière reflète la nature changeante de ce problème de conception, mais une formule légale de coefficient de sécurité ne constitue pas une prédiction de la probabilité de rupture pour un câble particulier.

Rester en deçà d'une limite de charge nominale n'élimine par conséquent pas les dommages cycliques. L'état dépend du spectre de charge et du système câble-machine d'extraction, et non pas uniquement de la plus grande charge statique.

Bending and internal contact create repeated local damage

Une poulie ou l'entrée sur un tambour imposent à un câble une flexion continue. Cette courbure répétée engendre une flexion primaire du câble, ainsi qu'une flexion secondaire et des contraintes de contact au niveau des torons et des fils. Les fils et les torons adjacents exercent également des pressions les uns sur les autres tout en se déplaçant. Ces différents mécanismes pouvant interagir, la fatigue ne doit pas être appréhendée comme un processus uniforme.

Une expérience accélérée sur corde complète menée par Zhang et ses collègues a consisté à plier de manière répétée des cordes à âme fibreuse 6×19 sur des poulies en acier et en nylon modifié. Dans ce dispositif d’essai, la corde utilisée avec la poulie en nylon modifié a atteint une durée de vie en fatigue de flexion plus de deux fois supérieure à celle rapportée pour la corde utilisée avec la poulie en acier. Cette étude démontre que le matériau de la poulie et le comportement au contact peuvent influencer l’évolution des dommages. Elle n’établit toutefois pas de coefficient multiplicateur de durée de vie universel : la structure de la corde, le diamètre et la rainure de la poulie, la charge, la vitesse, l’environnement ainsi que l’échantillon limité de l’expérience limitent la généralisation des résultats. (Zhang et al., 2013)

Nor does the result prove that synthetic sheaves are inherently safer. ISO 4309:2017, which covers crane, winch and hoist ropes rather than serving as the default mine-shaft rope standard, warns that systems using exclusively synthetic sheaves or synthetic linings with single-layer drum spooling can accumulate internal wire breaks before adequate external evidence appears. The defensible lesson is that the rope and sheave form an interacting contact system: changing material or geometry can change both the damage rate and where damage becomes detectable. (ISO 4309:2017)

Fretting: lower friction or slip does not necessarily mean less damage

Fretting is surface damage caused by small, repeated relative motion under contact load. In a rope it can occur between individual wires or between strands. Fretting wear removes material; fretting fatigue describes crack initiation and growth promoted by that cyclic contact. Fretting corrosion additionally involves chemical or electrochemical surface reactions. These terms are related but not interchangeable.

In a forensic examination of a non-rotating skip-hoist rope from an underground mine, Schrems found failures associated with interstrand wear and fatigue. Fractography also showed why the most obvious wear scar need not coincide with the exact crack origin: cracks may begin where the local multiaxial stress state is most damaging, including a less visually dramatic location. This is one service failure, not evidence of population-wide frequency, but it is direct mine-rope evidence that visible metal loss alone can be an incomplete root-cause indicator. (Schrems, 1994)

Controlled multi-wire experiments by Peng and colleagues used a seven-wire helical assembly—six 1 mm outer wires around a 1.1 mm core—under dry laboratory conditions. As lateral load increased from 80 to 320 N, the reported steady coefficient of friction fell from about 0.73 to 0.66, while maximum wear depth increased from 10.9 to 23.1 μm and average wear width from 111.5 to 135.8 μm. These are reported results for the study's wire geometry, tension, fretting amplitude and environment; they are not mine-rope service limits. The experiment supports a narrower conclusion: lower measured friction can coexist with greater wear because normal load, contact stress and dissipated energy also change. (Peng et al., 2023)

Other multi-wire tests from the same wider research lineage show that frequency, wire tension and helical-contact geometry can change friction and wear. These studies improve mechanism understanding but should not be counted as independent field replication, and their test rigs do not reproduce every contact in a full rope. (Huang et al., 2025)

The correct conclusion is not that lower friction causes more damage. It is that friction coefficient or relative slip alone cannot represent rope health. Contact pressure, stress distribution, debris, lubrication, evolving scar geometry and the transition among adhesion, partial-slip and gross-slip regimes also matter.

External wear removes metal and can shorten later fatigue life

External wear at a sheave, groove or multilayer-drum crossover is not merely cosmetic. It reduces metallic area, changes local geometry, concentrates stress and disturbs load sharing. Diameter reduction, loss of metallic area and residual breaking force are related condition indicators, but they are not equivalent measurements.

Chang and colleagues conducted an accelerated full-rope study on a 9.3 mm 6×19 fibre-core transmission rope whose initial measured breaking force was 52.5 kN. Under the most severe rope–sheave wear sequence reported, breaking force declined from approximately 48 to 23 kN and subsequent bending-fatigue endurance from about 6,200 to 200 cycles. These values describe test endpoints in one small-rope rig using a Q235 sheave. They are not expected mine-shaft service lives, uncertainty bounds or discard criteria; the paper does not establish that the same percentage loss occurs in a full-size mine winding rope. (Chang et al., 2025)

In the same research programme, a rope–rope wear sequence reduced breaking force from about 50 to 46 kN, a smaller change than in that study's rope–sheave sequence. It would be unsound to generalize that rope–sheave wear is always more severe: the rigs represented different contacts and used different loads, speeds and contact lengths. The comparison is conditional on the experimental arrangements.

Controlled-wear and finite-element work has further shown that groove-shaped or irregular scars can produce non-uniform stress and load sharing. Yet the Schrems service failure showed that the deepest visible loss does not invariably locate the fatigue origin. Average diameter can therefore miss a deep local scar, an unfavourable scar orientation, clustered breaks or internal damage. (Chang et al., 2019; Schrems, 1994)

Lubrication changes the contact regime; it does not eliminate fatigue

Suitable lubrication can reduce friction and wear and can contribute to corrosion protection under appropriate conditions. In Peng and colleagues' seven-wire test system, the steady coefficient of friction was about 0.16–0.22 with the tested oil versus roughly 0.58–0.75 under dry conditions. Reported dry wear widths were approximately 160–240 μm, compared with about 40–120 μm in lubricated tests. The observed mechanisms also changed: dry contacts showed abrasive, adhesive and fatigue wear, while lubricated contacts were dominated more by abrasive and fatigue processes. (Peng et al., 2023)

That result demonstrates a protective effect under the tested conditions, not a universal lubricant specification or relubrication interval. It used one laboratory lubricant and a small multi-wire assembly, not an operating mine rope. Lubricant chemistry, viscosity, application method, contamination and compatibility with the rope core and surface finish all affect performance.

Friction-winding or Koepe systems introduce an additional constraint: traction between rope and the drive sheave or drum is part of the system design. UK HSE guidance states that externally applied lubricants or dressings on friction-winder ropes must not significantly reduce the coefficient of friction between the rope and driving drum and warns against over-lubrication because it can cause rope slip or uneven travel. More lubricant is therefore not automatically safer, and an unsuitable dressing may conflict with traction requirements. (HSE) UK HSE shaft-rope guidance also notes that external lubricant can restrict the penetration of dirt and grit that would otherwise increase abrasion, while excessive use of a sticky lubricant can attract grit and reduce rope life. This is general shaft-rope guidance, not a finding of the Peng experiment. Rope and winder manufacturers' instructions, the approved winding-system design and the governing mine rules should control the specification and application practice. (HSE)

Forensic analysis of two ropes used in underground coal mines reported poor lubrication together with wear and corrosion. This supports inadequate lubrication as a contributing condition in those cases, not as a sole cause or the dominant cause across mines. (Singh, Mallick and Verma, 2016)

ISO 3156:1976 addresses characteristics and tests for impregnating compounds, lubricants and service dressings used with stranded mine-hoisting ropes. It is a materials-and-test standard; it does not provide one field relubrication interval for every shaft.

Corrosion and fatigue interact; pH alone does not predict rope life

Corrosion may remove metal, create pits and disrupt protective surface conditions. Under cyclic loading, pits and other surface defects can concentrate stress and become crack-initiation sites. Corrosion fatigue is therefore a coupled process: the environment changes the surface from which mechanical cracking may begin, while cyclic deformation and contact repeatedly disturb that surface.

Wang and colleagues tested smooth 1 mm wires taken from a 6×19 mine rope. The wire had a reported ultimate tensile strength of 1,750 MPa and was tested in laboratory solutions with pH values of 2.97, 6.97 and 9.97. The acidic solution produced the shortest fatigue lives among the conditions examined. This wire-level result supports the effect of that solution chemistry on crack initiation; it does not show that acid mine water alone causes full-rope failure or that pH is a sufficient environmental descriptor. (Wang et al., 2016)

The same study shows why fatigue-cycle figures require restraint. At a maximum stress of 800 MPa in the neutral solution, the study reported approximately 72,000 cycles at 2 Hz and stress ratio R = 0.5, versus about 5,700 cycles at 5 Hz and R = 0.05. These were test results for smooth 1 mm wires in specified solutions—not a service-life range for mine ropes. Fatigue endurance also commonly exhibits scatter, and the article did not report these two values as universal population means.

Results from other corrosion-fatigue studies may appear to conflict when they measure different stages. Smooth-wire tests include crack initiation; pre-cracked specimens emphasize propagation. Frequency changes exposure time per cycle, stress ratio changes mean stress and crack closure, and solution chemistry involves more than pH. A trend observed for initiation cannot automatically be applied to crack growth in a full rope.

Crossed-wire tension–torsion fretting-corrosion experiments add another complication. In one study, mechanical indicators such as dissipated energy, wear depth and crack-propagation measures increased under certain loading changes while the electrochemical-corrosion response moved in the opposite direction. Mechanical wear and electrochemical reaction are distinct damage channels; intensifying one need not increase the other. This was a crossed-wire laboratory study, not a field rope. (Wang, Zhu and Song, 2020)

The defensible engineering conclusion is conditional: corrosion-fatigue response depends on solution chemistry, exposure time, stress amplitude and ratio, frequency, rope construction, lubrication and pre-existing damage.

Torsion, installation and material conformity add different risks

Residual or imposed torsion

Torsion changes how helically arranged wires and strands press, slide and bend against one another. In accelerated full-rope bending tests, Hu and colleagues imposed twisting and untwisting and reported an approximately linear reduction in bending-fatigue endurance across their tested angular range. Both directions increased elongation, while twisting was more damaging than untwisting in that configuration. (Hu et al., 2023)

That ordering is not universal. Laboratory-imposed torsion is not identical to every installation error or source of service rotation, and the response depends on rope construction, lay direction, load and rig geometry. The supported conclusion is that residual or imposed torsion can alter internal contact, wear-scar development and bending-fatigue endurance. Installation and rope replacement should therefore control twist in accordance with the rope and winder documentation.

Material and manufacturing conformity

Premature damage can also result when the supplied rope does not match its declared material or construction. Peterka and colleagues examined a prematurely damaged drilling-hoist rope and an unused reserve sample. Their forensic and metallurgical analysis found that the rope was manufactured in a grade different from the declared 1,770 MPa class. Mixed-strength wires in the outer strand layer deformed differently; lower-strength wires released, rolled and fractured after short service. (Peterka et al., 2014)

This is a single drilling-hoist case, not evidence that manufacturing nonconformity is a common mine-shaft failure cause. It does show why procurement needs more than a nominal breaking-force entry: rope construction, grade, lay, coating, core, lubrication, test certificates and acceptance evidence must match the approved duty.

ISO 3154:1988 specifies technical delivery requirements for stranded mine-hoisting ropes within its scope; ISO 5614:1988 performs a comparable role for locked-coil mine-hoisting ropes. EN 12385-6 provides particular requirements for stranded mine-shaft ropes within the EN 12385 framework, while EN 12385-7 specifies additional requirements for full-locked-coil hoist ropes and half- or full-locked-coil guide ropes for mine shafts. Conformity at delivery is necessary, but it does not establish in-service condition after installation.

Broken wires change the load path before final rupture

A broken wire is not only a count. Once it stops carrying its intended share, forces and stresses redistribute through the remaining structure. Damage location and clustering can therefore matter as much as the total number of breaks.

Zhang and colleagues introduced controlled surface-wire break patterns into full ropes and subjected them to repeated bending. The tests and associated analysis showed increased inner-strand stresses and contact forces after surface breaks. Among the configurations tested, a concentrated 1×4 pattern produced the most severe response. This does not make four adjacent breaks a universal discard threshold: the defects were manufactured in one rope construction, and legal criteria depend on rope type, reference length and jurisdiction. The study supports the mechanism-level conclusion that concentrated damage can be more consequential than the same number of separated breaks. (Zhang et al., 2017)

La même étude a permis de distinguer les fractures dues à l’usure ou à la fatigue de la surcharge ductile sur les câbles ayant résisté jusqu’à la rupture finale. Des essais d’usure contrôlée ont mis en évidence une séquence comparable, les câbles extérieurs fortement usés cédant en premier, puis les câbles internes supportant des charges modifiées. C’est pourquoi une surcharge ductile sur les derniers câbles encore intacts ne prouve pas automatiquement qu’une charge utile excessive soit à l’origine de l’événement. Il peut s’agir du mode de rupture final après que des dommages progressifs ont réduit la section effective. (Chang et al., 2019)

Cette séquence n'est pas inévitable. Une surcharge ponctuelle, une défaillance de fixation, un événement de choc ou un défaut de matière peut engendrer une chaîne d'événements différente. Les éléments probants plaident fortement en faveur d'une distinction entre le mécanisme de dégradation initial et le mode de rupture final lors de l'analyse des défaillances.

Mine-hoist rope inspection: appearance, age and nominal capacity cannot establish complete condition

L'examen visuel est indispensable, mais la surface ne peut révéler chaque défaut interne. La mesure du diamètre peut mettre en évidence certaines formes d'usure ou de déformation, tandis que les méthodes électromagnétiques ou par fuite de flux magnétique peuvent indiquer des défauts localisés et une perte de section métallique. Ni la réduction du diamètre ni un enregistrement de CND ne constituent automatiquement une mesure directe de la résistance à la rupture restante.

Les essais destructifs sur des cordages mis hors service, menés par Tytko et ses collègues, illustrent pourquoi l’âge calendaire constitue également un indicateur incomplet. Un cordage de 60 mm imprégné de plastique, retiré après 50 mois, a présenté une réduction de 7,91 TP3T de la force de rupture cumulée de ses fils. Une autre corde de 61 mm retirée après 48 mois présentait une dégradation cumulée des fils d’environ 201 TP3T et une réduction de 23,251 TP3T de la force de rupture de la corde dans son ensemble. Il s’agit là d’observations portant sur deux cordes différentes, et non d’une comparaison statistiquement représentative ni d’une règle de remplacement au bout de quatre ans. L’analyse stochastique de l’étude confirme également que les résultats relatifs à la résistance des fils forment des distributions plutôt qu’une valeur déterministe unique. (Tytko et al., 2025)

Onur a rendu compte de trois campagnes d’inspection électromagnétique in situ menées sur quatre câbles de tête Koepe à torons triangulaires de 38 mm (6 × 37) au puits n° I de Kozlu, en Turquie. Ces travaux ont permis de suivre les indications de perte de surface métallique et de défauts localisés, et de calculer leur incidence sur le coefficient de sécurité. Ils n’ont pas permis de valider de manière destructive chaque indication ni d’établir une relation universelle entre l’amplitude du signal et la résistance résiduelle. L’équipement, la magnétisation, l’étalonnage, la construction du câble, la vitesse et la géométrie des défauts ont tous une incidence sur l’interprétation. (Onur, 2012)

Le bulletin P09-10 de la MSHA décrit un câble de puits de service dont les graves piqûres internes et la corrosion n’avaient pas été suffisamment mises en évidence par les mesures du diamètre ponctuel et les essais de rupture. Le bulletin recommande de recourir à des essais électromagnétiques dans les cas appropriés, car la détérioration interne pourrait autrement passer inaperçue. Il ne précise pas que l’examen électromagnétique remplace l’inspection visuelle. L’inspection visuelle reste nécessaire pour détecter les brins cassés visibles, la corrosion, la déformation, les dommages dus à la chaleur, l’usure locale et l’état des fixations. (MSHA PIB P09-10)

L'évaluation de l'état doit par conséquent combiner des indicateurs et des tendances complémentaires, tel que requis pour l'installation effective. Selon le régime applicable, cela peut inclure des observations visuelles codées par emplacement, des mesures de diamètre initiales et ultérieures, la distribution des fils rompus, des indications de perte de section métallique et de défauts localisés, des essais destructifs ou par tronçonnage, l'historique du service ainsi que les évolutions au fil du temps. L'âge, la résistance à la rupture nominale, le diamètre moyen ou un seul résultat de CND ne doivent pas être considérés comme une évaluation complète.

Mining Elevator Systems

Installation d'un ascenseur minier SEKLIFT pour l'accès vertical sur site minier.

Mine-hoist rope standards and regulations define different parts of the decision framework

Les normes de produits, les méthodes d'essai, les directives des organismes de réglementation et la réglementation minière contraignante remplissent des fonctions différentes. Les normes de produits définissent les exigences de livraison pour des constructions de câbles spécifiques. Les normes d'essai définissent la manière dont une propriété est mesurée. La législation minière, les codes approuvés et les autorisations de site régissent l'installation, l'examen, l'essai et le retrait. La publication d'une norme ne la rend pas juridiquement applicable dans tous les pays, et un certificat de produit ne démontre pas l'état actuel du câble.

International and European standards

The ISO catalogue listed ISO 3154:1988, ISO 3155:1976, ISO 3156:1976 and ISO 5614:1988 as published/current documents when checked, while also showing review or revision activity for these older editions. ISO 3108:2017 remained the current test method for determining measured breaking force. ISO 4309:2017 remained published but was marked for revision, with successor work under development. Users should therefore verify the edition required by contract or law at the time of application. Standards status checked 3 September 2026.

• ISO 3154:1988 — technical delivery requirements for stranded mine-hoisting ropes within its stated scope.
• ISO 5614:1988 — technical delivery requirements for locked-coil mine-hoisting ropes.
• ISO 3155:1976 — characteristics and tests for fibre components used in stranded mine-hoisting ropes.
• ISO 3156:1976 — characteristics and tests for impregnating compounds, lubricants and service dressings.
• ISO 3108:2017 — tensile test method for determining measured breaking force.
• ISO 4309:2017 — care, maintenance, inspection and discard guidance for ropes on cranes, winches and hoists; supplementary for mine applications only when invoked by the applicable framework.

BSI listed BS EN 12385-1:2002+A1:2008, BS EN 12385-2:2002+A1:2008, BS EN 12385-6:2004 and BS EN 12385-7:2002 as current and under review when checked. Part 1 supplies general manufacturing and testing requirements; Part 2 defines terminology, designation and classification. Part 6 gives particular requirements for stranded and flat ropes for mine shafts and is used with Parts 1 and 2. Part 7 specifies additional materials, manufacturing and testing requirements for full-locked-coil hoist ropes and half- or full-locked-coil guide ropes for mine shafts to those given in Part 1, within the broader EN 12385 series framework. These are product standards, not universal in-service discard rules. (BSI: Part 1; Part 2; Part 6; Part 7)

United States: mine category and equipment scope matter

The earlier shorthand “U.S. metal/nonmetal provisions” is insufficient. Current federal rules use parallel but category-specific sections:

• 30 CFR Part 56 applies to surface metal and nonmetal mines.
• 30 CFR Part 57 applies to underground metal and nonmetal mines.
• 30 CFR Part 75 applies to underground coal mines.
• 30 CFR Part 77 applies to surface coal mines and surface work areas of underground coal mines.

Within the cited hoisting-rope provisions, §§56.19023, 57.19023, 75.1433 and 77.1433 require visual examination of the active rope length at least every 14 calendar days and, at least every six months, either nondestructive testing of the active length or prescribed diameter measurements at wear-prone locations. Daily examination applies to an affected portion when a visible condition may reduce strength. The corresponding removal sections—§§56.19024, 57.19024, 75.1434 and 77.1434—include diameter reduction due to wear exceeding 6% of the baseline diameter measurement and more than 10% rope-strength loss as determined by NDT, alongside broken-wire, corrosion, distortion and heat-damage criteria. The baseline is established after initial stretch but before visible wear under §§56.19022, 57.19022, 75.1432 and 77.1432. (30 CFR Parts 56 and 57; Parts 75 and 77)

Those percentages are U.S. regulatory removal criteria for ropes within the stated scope—not global material-failure thresholds. The Part 57 application provision and the cited Part 75 and Part 77 scope provisions expressly exclude wire ropes used for elevators; the detailed installation must therefore be classified correctly before any section is applied. They must not be transferred automatically to a mining elevator, a Turkish project or another jurisdiction.

United Kingdom, New South Wales and Türkiye

UK HSE's Steel wire ropes in vertical mine shafts is guidance for people who manufacture, select, install, inspect, examine or maintain winding, balance, guide and rubbing ropes. Its technical annexes address maintenance, deterioration and discard. It is authoritative guidance, not a universal statute or a substitute for current UK legal duties. (HSE)

The NSW Code of Practice: Mine shafts and winding systems, Version 2, April 2026, is an approved code of practice under section 274 of the NSW Work Health and Safety Act 2011. It guides principal-hazard management for underground mine shafts and winding systems, including lifecycle controls and ropes. It is admissible in proceedings and can evidence what is known about a hazard or control; it is not itself an exhaustive statement of the law, and equivalent or higher-standard methods may be used where the WHS framework permits. (NSW Resources Regulator, 2026)

This review did not establish, from an accessible authoritative source, a single Turkish mine-hoisting-rope regime that could be summarized safely across mine type and equipment category. The Turkish Koepe-rope field study cited above is research evidence, not legislation. Projects in Türkiye should verify current Turkish mining and occupational-safety legislation, applicable adopted TS EN standards, mine approvals and equipment classification with the competent authority and responsible engineer rather than importing U.S., UK or NSW thresholds.

For a real project, the controlling hierarchy normally begins with:

1. Applicable mining and occupational-safety law and regulator requirements.
2. Mine approvals, the winding-system safety case or principal-hazard plan, and applicable approved codes.
3. Rope and winder manufacturers' instructions for the approved configuration.
4. Applicable mine-rope product and test standards.
5. General wire-rope guidance used only where the governing framework invokes or permits it.

Treat the rope as a monitored mechanical system

Mine-hoist wire-rope failure is best understood as a sequence, not a label. Dynamic loading, bending, torsion, contact geometry, lubrication and environment can initiate abrasive or adhesive wear, fretting, fatigue cracks, corrosion pits, internal breaks or localized metallic-area loss. As damage develops, load sharing changes. The remaining wires may ultimately fracture in ductile overload even when progressive deterioration began the loss of capacity.

That model does not make every failure progressive or identical. It explains why root cause cannot be read from one final fracture surface, one diameter value, one NDT trace, calendar age or nominal breaking force. Each indicator answers only part of the condition question.

For mine engineers and procurement teams, the practical implication is systems-based specification and evidence: match rope construction and grade to the winder and duty; verify product conformity; control installation twist and lubrication; preserve baseline measurements; trend location-specific visual and NDT findings; and apply the correct jurisdiction's examination and removal rules. Replacement decisions must remain project-specific and should be made by the competent mine or winding-system engineer under the applicable legal and approved technical framework.