Routine Application Of Radar In Underground Mining Applications

Abstract

R & D into in-mine geophysics was initiated by the South African mining industry in the 1980’s when a need was identified for techniques to routinely delineate geological structures from underground excavations. Since then ground penetrating radar (GPR) has been established as a routine tool in underground mining in South Africa for geological structure delineation and roof integrity studies. Routine underground application of GPR requires reliable ruggedized instrumentation and innovative survey methodologies. To this end the RockRadar system was developed, which provides excellent data quality in the harsh confined conditions encountered underground. The system allows for rapid data acquisition and in-mine data processing and interpretation. GPR is best used as a complementary tool to in-mine exploration drilling, enabling more complete characterization of sites. GPR is seldom used as a “blind’ technique where little information is available about the geology ahead of mining. This strategy has enabled the successful routine underground use of radar while other in-mine techniques such as radio tomography and in-mine seismics have as yet developed limited routine implementation. Applications in metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary environments have been developed. These include ore-body delineation, mapping of faults and intrusives, and delineation of roof discontinuities. Data will be presented from the gold mines (delineation of ore-body and faulting), platinum mines (delineation of roof discontinuities and ore-body disruptions), and basemetal mines (delineation of roof discontinuities).