Engineering & Mining Journal

JUL 2014

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

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"As it stands," he said, "the MS3 is not available as an off-the-shelf system, but consists of custom hardware and software set up and tailored to a client's needs and environment. Because of this, we have partnered with the German company DMT to provide a cheaper and a more universal solution for ad-hoc shaft inspection and/or monitoring," he added. The systems involve the use of a Lidar- based laser scanning system, together with other sensors, that are mounted on either a cage in an working shaft, or are cable-sus- pended where old or rarely used shafts need to be surveyed. A 1,500-m-deep shaft typically takes less than a shift to sur- vey, with the cloud point data collected then processed in Shaft Inspector software to produce accurate 3-D images of the shaft and all of its infrastructure. Where repeated surveys are undertaken over a period of time, changes in the condition of the shaft structure or service ranges can be identified accurately. Sight Power stated that since its sys- tems operate on the move, they enable shaft surveys to be done much more quick- ly and cost-effectively than in the past, pro- viding engineering staff with clear informa- tion on which to base maintenance deci- sions before any problems become critical. An Aerial Imaging Solution Trimble describes its UX5 Aerial Imaging Solution as a complete unmanned aerial imaging system specifically designed for surveyors and geospatial professionals. A fixed-wing aerial vehicle weighing 2.5 kg, and with a 1-m wingspan, the UX5 is not a remote-controlled UAV, but is pre-pro- grammed, using waypoints during flight. Used to perform boundary and topo- graphic surveys, site planning and inspec- tions, progress monitoring, volume calcu- lations and post-event analysis, the UX5 has a 60-km range and 5,000-m ceiling. Operators use Trimble's Access Aerial Imaging application running on a tablet PC for flight planning, pre-flight checks and flight monitoring. In the field, the operator is guided through the pre- and post-flight sequences with step-by-step digital checklists. The company stated that the UX5 deliv- ers optimal image quality along with maxi- mum photogrammetric accuracy. It has a large imaging sensor that captures very sharp, color-rich images, with a camera and custom optics to capture data down to 24 mm resolution. From a single flight, operators are able to generate feature maps, topographic contours, 3-D surface models and orthophotographs, while the data obtained can be processed into out- puts such as digital surface models (DSMs), digital terrain models (DTMs) and true orthomosaics. Trimble told E&MJ; that it is also focused on extending the value and use of its sur- veying technology in mining applications. For instance, the S8 Total Station is at the heart of Trimble 4D Control, an automated real-time slope stability monitoring system. The S8 can measure up to 2,500 m with a precision of better than 1 mm in distance and 1 arc second in bearing. The angular accuracy of the total sta- tion combined with a network of GNSS sensors and prisms is suitable for the detection of both toppling and slumping failures on a highwall, Trimble added. A World Beyond UAVs According to the Australian company, Sandpit Innovation, the mining sector cur- rently uses a combination of ground sur- veys and aerial fly-overs, with the use of drones starting to emerge, to determine stockpile volumes on a monthly or more frequent basis. Sandpit has now partnered with Lockheed Martin to develop an advanced reconciliation service called mineRECON, which uses satellite imagery to measure stockpiles and provide rapid stockpile volume reports. The subscription service leverages this space-based imagery and advanced analytics to accurately per- form material reconciliations throughout complex mining operations, Sandpit said, noting that mineRECON has the tools and techniques currently used in defense appli- cations to automatically process various types of satellite imagery and produces rapid reconciliation reports. While the application of satellite imagery is new to mining, the technology is well-proven, low-risk and continues to evolve rapidly. Currently, nine commercial satellites send back high-resolution imagery to the earth. By the end of 2015, that number is projected to exceed 40 and by 2017, more than 75. Sandpit provides full custom reconciliation reports, includ- ing volume reports based on operational requirements, change detection mapping and filtration, and 3-D modeling, as well as the digital elevation modeling (DEM) data. Satellite imagery is collected in under 10 minutes, without any interaction on site. It is non-intrusive and eliminates all HSE risks, the company noted. Advanced processing techniques then allow accurate and repeatable elevation data to be extract- ed, along with change detection and image filtration, to produce high-quality volume calculations. Other advantages include the system's ability to capture several mine sites in a single image, and lower costs than current aerial surveying methods, Sandpit stated. JULY 2014 • E&MJ; 31 www.e-mj.com M A P P I N G & S U R V E Y I N G Modeling an in-pit stockpile using satellite imagery and Sandpit Innovation's mineRECON service. (Photo courtesy of Sandpit Innovations) EMJ_pg28-31_EMJ_pg28-31 7/1/14 11:46 AM Page 31

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