Mining drill with gradient sensing and method of using same
First Claim
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1. A drill for excavating a primary bore in the earth and for excavating a plurality of side bores in the earth, the drill comprising:
- a steerable primary boring tool configured to excavate a primary bore;
a secondary boring tool configured to excavate a plurality of side bores, wherein the side bores extend outward from the primary bore at a plurality of azimuthal locations around the primary bore;
a sensor configured to detect a mineral property in the earth adjacent each of the side bores; and
a controller coupled to the sensor, the controller configured to compare the detected mineral property associated with each of the side bores to determine a locally preferred drilling direction.
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Abstract
A drill for excavating a bore in the earth includes a steerable primary boring tool, a secondary boring tool and a sensor. The steerable primary boring tool is configured to excavate a primary bore. The secondary boring tool is configured to excavate a plurality of side bores that extend outward from the primary bore at a plurality of azimuthal locations around the primary bore. The sensor is configured to detect a mineral property in the earth adjacent each of the side bores.
14 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A drill for excavating a primary bore in the earth and for excavating a plurality of side bores in the earth, the drill comprising:
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a steerable primary boring tool configured to excavate a primary bore; a secondary boring tool configured to excavate a plurality of side bores, wherein the side bores extend outward from the primary bore at a plurality of azimuthal locations around the primary bore; a sensor configured to detect a mineral property in the earth adjacent each of the side bores; and a controller coupled to the sensor, the controller configured to compare the detected mineral property associated with each of the side bores to determine a locally preferred drilling direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A drill for excavating a primary bore in the earth and for excavating a plurality of side bores in the earth, the drill comprising:
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a steerable primary boring tool configured to excavate a primary bore; a secondary boring tool configured to excavate a plurality of side bores, wherein the side bores extend outward from the primary bore at a plurality of azimuthal locations around the primary bore; a sensor configured to detect a mineral property in the earth adjacent each of the side bores; and a controller coupled to the sensor, the controller configured to; determine a side bore value-function associated with each side bore where each side-bore value-function includes the mineral property detected by the sensor in the earth proximate the associated side bore as an input; and compare the side bore value-functions to determine a locally preferred drilling direction. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of steering a primary boring tool to follow a mineral deposit, the method comprising:
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excavating a primary bore with a primary boring tool; excavating a plurality of side bores with a secondary boring tool, wherein the plurality of side bores extend outward from the primary bore at a plurality of azimuthal locations around the primary bore; detecting a mineral property in the earth adjacent each of the side bores; determining an azimuthal position value-function associated with each of the side bores, wherein each azimuthal position value-function includes the detected mineral property from the associated side bore as an input; comparing the azimuthal position value-functions; determining a laterally dependent value-function in response to the comparison of the azimuthal position value-functions; determining a preferred drilling direction in response to the laterally dependent value-function; and steering the primary boring tool in the preferred drilling direction. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification