England used a 197-foot German shaft-boring machine instead of explosives and workers to cut a mine beneath a national park; the remote system has reached 2,966 feet, with 2,283 feet still to go

Sinking a mine shaft traditionally means sending workers to the bottom of an increasingly deep hole, where they drill into rock, use explosives to break it apart, and clear the rubble before repeating the process. At England's Woodsmith mine, that cycle has been replaced by a 197-foot-tall German machine.

The Shaft Boring Roadheader, or SBR, built by Herrenknecht, cuts the shaft mechanically while crews work from platforms above the excavation. According to an Anglo American report, the Woodsmith service shaft has reached 2,966 feet below the surface, leaving 2,283 feet before it reaches its planned depth.