SCANNING SYSTEM FOR 3D MINERALOGY MODELLING

• US 20090256412A1
• Filed: 03/04/2009
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. Ltd. (Rio Tinto Limited)
• Original Assignee: University of Sydney
• Inventors: Duscant-Whyte, Hugh, NIETO, Juan, Blair, Allan
• Granted Patent: US 8,857,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 299/18
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 39/00 Devices for testing in situ the hardness or other properties of minerals, e.g. for giving information as to the selection of suitable mining tools
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 41/26 Methods of surface mining machines for obtaining, or the removal of, materials in open-pit mines E21C47/00; Layouts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 3/04 for rock blasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00827 Arrangements for reading an image from an unusual original, e.g. 3-dimensional objects

Abstract

A method of mining comprising: using a vehicle fitted with scanning module to scan a bench face of a mine bench for both geometric and geological information; making ore grade assessments of material at the bench face from the information provided by the bench face scan; removing material from the bench; and transporting removed material for processing. At least one of said removing, transporting, and processing is performed at least partially dependent on the ore grade assessments.

Claims

1. A method of mining comprising:

using a vehicle fitted with scanning module to scan a bench face of a mine bench for both geometric and geological information;

making ore grade assessments of material at the bench face from the information provided by the bench face scan;

removing material from the bench; and

transporting removed material for processing, wherein at least one of said removing, transporting, and processing is performed at least partially dependent on the ore grade assessments.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scanning module comprises a hyperspectral imager to generate hyperspectral images of the bench face, the hyperspectral images containing geological information on the material at the bench face.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hyperspectral imager comprises an imaging spectrometer and/or a hyperspectral camera.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the scanning module further comprises a geometry scanner for generating geometric information on the bench face the method further comprising:

fusing the geometric information generated by the laser scanner with the geological information generated by the hyperspectral imager to produce a model of the geometric and geological information on the bench face.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the geometry scanner is a laser.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle moves between spaced locations along the bench at which locations the vehicle stops for scanning of the surrounding terrain by the scanning module.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scanning module scans the surrounding terrain as the vehicle moves along the bench face.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

drilling blast holes in the bench and blasting the bench using explosive placed in the blast holes;

analysing drilling cuttings generated by the drilling of the blast holes; and

wherein

the outcome of the drilling cuttings analysis is used as a factor in the making of the ore grade assessments.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein analysis of the drill cuttings is performed by the scanning module.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of scanning the bench face by the scanning module is carried out prior to drilling the blast holes.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of scanning the bench face is carried out after drilling the blast holes.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of using the scanning module to make a further scan of the bench face after the bench has been blasted.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the outcome of the further scan is used to assess movement of material in the bench during the blasting.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the outcome of the further scan is used as a factor in the making of the ore grade assessments.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of using the scanning vehicle to make an additional scan of the bench face after partial removal of the blasted material from the bench.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the outcome of the additional scan is used as a factor in the making of the ore grade assessment.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scanning module incorporates a receiver to receive GPS position signals for use in the generation of the geometric information.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of normalising data generated by the hyperspectral imager.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising placing one or more spectral imaging calibration members at spaced locations on the bench face, and wherein the step of normalising data generated by the hyperspectral imager comprises for scanning the or each spectral imaging calibration members obtain radiance data relating to the radiance of incident light and using the radiance data to normalise data generated by the hyperspectral imager.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said members comprise calibration boards having reflective surfaces of known spectrum.

21. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein data from the scanning module is transmitted from the vehicle to a processing station.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the scanning module data is processed at the processing station to form a geological map.

23. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the scanning module data is used as an input to a model of the mine geology.

24. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the geometry scanner comprises a camera.

31. A computer readable medium providing computer program code which when executed by a computer system causes the system to implement a method in accordance with claim 1.

25. A system for exploiting a mine, comprising:

a data processing station; and

a vehicle capable of movement along a mine bench face and fitted with a scanning module, the scanning module operable to scan the bench face and generate both geometric and geological information relating to the bench; and

a transmitter for transmitting said geometric and geological information to the processing station.

26. A system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the processing station is provided with a processor for fusing the geometric and geological information data from the scanning module into a geological map.

27. A system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the processor is effective to form or update a geological model.

28. A system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the scanning module includes one or more hyperspectral imagers for producing hyperspectral geological information relating to the bench.

29. A system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the scanning module further comprises a laser scanner for capturing geometric information.

30. A data processing station comprising:

a receiving module operable to receive geological and geographical data associated with a region of interest;

a processing module operable to process the geological and geographical data to make an ore grade assessment of a mineral deposit present within the region; and

an instructing module operable to issue an excavation instruction dependent, at least in part, on the ore grade assessment.