Insights gained after five years of continuous GPR use in potash mines

Abstract

PreviousNext No Access19th International Conference on Ground Penetrating RadarInsights gained after five years of continuous GPR use in potash minesAuthors: Craig FunkLuke ProtzMatthew van den BergheZoe BelangerCraig FunkNutrien Ltd.Search for more papers by this author, Luke ProtzNutrien Ltd.Search for more papers by this author, Matthew van den BergheNutrien Ltd.Search for more papers by this author, and Zoe BelangerNutrien Ltd.Search for more papers by this authorhttps://doi.org/10.1190/gpr2022-034.1 SectionsAboutPDF/ePub ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail Abstract Potash is a mineral used primarily in fertilizers, that has been mined in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada for approximately sixty years. Continuous Boring Machines (borers) are used to mechanically cut the potash ore out of potash seams. Geological anomalies are periodically encountered during mining that can create instabilities above the mining rooms. These instabilities can be hazardous to personnel and equipment. Subtle anomalies can be difficult to visually identify within the mining rooms. Such scenarios are concerning because falls-of-ground can occur with little to no warning. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is well suited to identifying anomalies above mining rooms before the ground conditions become hazardous. GPR has been used in the Saskatchewan potash mines for over 40 years. In 2013, GPR was integrated with Nutrien’s borers as a safety device, with installation on production borers commencing in 2015. There are now 32 borers equipped with GPR at 4 mines, which produce approximately 22 million tonnes of ore per year. The borer operators quickly accepted the GPR technology as it was an effective early warning device for hazardous conditions. This paper will discuss several successes and challenges faced including training of personnel on how to use the technology, and maintenance of the instrumentation. Furthermore, there were interpretation challenges due both to the position of GPR on the borers and that only one antenna is installed per borer. To address these shortcomings, we have developed and tested a new prototype which will be discussed. Keywords: ground-penetrating radar (GPR), sensors, geology, mining, imagingPermalink: https://doi.org/10.1190/gpr2022-034.1FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails 19th International Conference on Ground Penetrating RadarISSN (online):2159-6832Copyright: 2022 Pages: 166 publication data© 2022 Published in electronic format with permission by the Society of Exploration GeophysicistsPublisher:Society of Exploration Geophysicists HistoryPublished Online: 13 Oct 2022 CITATION INFORMATION Craig Funk, Luke Protz, Matthew van den Berghe, and Zoe Belanger, (2022), "Insights gained after five years of continuous GPR use in potash mines," SEG Global Meeting Abstracts : 47-50. https://doi.org/10.1190/gpr2022-034.1 Plain-Language Summary Keywordsground-penetrating radar (GPR)sensorsgeologyminingimagingPDF DownloadLoading ...