Development of Digital Subterranean Models for Real-Time Open Cut Horizon Control

Andrew D Strange,Zak Jecny

doi:10.3390/resources9040050

Abstract

A reliable coal seam sensing system is required to improve the productivity of selective mining in open-cut mining operations. A prototype system based upon commercial ground penetrating radar equipment, which measures coal thickness from the top of an exposed surface down to an underlying coal-interburden interface and generates digital subterranean models of the subsurface seam boundaries, was developed for this purpose. The models can be deployed to commercially available in-cab assistive guidance systems for bulldozers and other mining machinery in existing production processes, and can further contribute to the databases required for remote operation and control in a complete digital mine scenario. The system was evaluated at a production open cut coal mine in Queensland, Australia, with promising results. The benefits reported by operational personnel who evaluated the digital surface model in the mining environment provide strong motivation for ongoing technology development.

Highlights

Coal mining operations typically adopt either the bulk mining or selective mining method to minimize production costs [1]
Bulk mining involves the recovery of the entire coal seam and sending the mined resource to a coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP) for grade sorting and washing
This paper has presented the results of the development of a subsurface mapping system that generates digital subterranean models of underlying coal seam boundaries

Summary

Introduction

Coal mining operations typically adopt either the bulk mining or selective mining method to minimize production costs [1]. In selective mining, the resource is mined in a way where each different grade of product existing in the coal seam is mined separately, bypassing the need for the CHPP. The extraction surfaces on which the models are based are generated from existing geophysical logs, which provide only sparse detail about the geology and are inadequate for accurate horizon control. For this process to become reality, a reliable automatic coal seam thickness sensing system is required, to ensure that digital models used for production guidance reflect actual underground seam structures

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion