Engineering and Mining Journal - Whether the market is copper, gold, nickel, iron ore, lead/zinc, PGM, diamonds or other commodities, E&MJ takes the lead in projecting trends, following development and reporting on the most efficient operating pr
Issue link: https://emj.epubxp.com/i/109221
O P E R AT I N G S T R AT E G I E S A LocataLite network comprises two types of devices: LocataLite transmitters and Locata receivers. The transmitter generates a carrier phase signal modulated with a proprietary ranging code. with GPS time, while both GNSS and Locata signals measured at the Jps receiver are synchronous. Consequently all signals can be used directly and simultaneously in position calculations. The authors point out that as with any other transmitter used in a GNSS-style network, each transmit antenna attached to a Jps LocataLite must be accurately surveyed. Any traditional survey method can be used, but for convenience LocataLites are designed to autonomously "self-survey" without any surveyor input. Each Jps LocataLite has a built-in GNSS RTK receiver and the Jps tower has a GNSS antenna. When turned on, 78 E&MJ; • FEBRUARY 2013 the Jps LocataLite self-surveys the position of the Jps tower automatically and continuously monitors any movement of the Jps tower (e.g., from subsidence or blasting). This allows the Jps LocataLite to be positioned in active mining areas and be relocated quickly when required. If RTK positions cannot be computed for the self-survey, then the Jps tower can be manually surveyed and its position entered into the Jps LocataLite using its Web interface. Based on the results gathered from testing the initial installation, the authors concluded that "the Leica Jigsaw Positioning System (Jps), powered by Locata, pro- vides substantial improvements in positioning availability compared to normal RTK GNSS receivers, while maintaining RTK quality position accuracies. Leica's Jps receiver is the world's first commercial GNSS RTK receiver to use the new Locata signals for positioning, utilising the existing, mature positioning technologies developed by Leica Geosystems. The Leica Jps has been designed specifically as an OEM device and it can therefore be integrated easily into any high precision machine guidance system. "The Jps LocataNet is capable of covering specific areas in a single pit or multiple pits on a mine site. If additional coverage is required, then the system can be scaled to meet the customer's needs. By simply adding more Jps LocataLites to the area, or by moving the existing Jps LocataNet to a more appropriate configuration, the mine can ensure reliable and accurate positioning signals are always available where and when they are needed." More recently Dr. Lilly, who is product manager at Leica Geosystems Mining, stated: "Since deploying the Locata-powered Jps at Newmont Boddington Gold there has been an increase in operational www.e-mj.com