SLOPE STABILITY
Wall to wall
Paul Moore reports that the latest radar offerings are
taking slope stability monitoring to another level both at
surface and underground; while there are new
developments in other areas of scanning IBIS ArcSAR brings a new dimension to slope
monitoring, as the 360° field of view adds
maximum flexibility for operators to use the
radar unit in any position in and out the pit and
always have the critical areas in line of sight of
the radar, without losing time in complex
manoeuvering
he state of the industry as well as some
high profile tailings dam failures have had
a major effect on the way slope stability
solutions are used. On the issue of the downturn
and its effect on mining customer demand,
Lachlan Campbell, GroundProbe VP of Marketing
and Technology told IM: “The mining industry
has still not fully recovered to the former levels
of pricing once experienced. To counteract this,
we have seen a number of customers looking for
ways to optimise production in an attempt to
extract more from existing pits. With a Slope
Stability Radar in place, areas of a pit previously
thought to be inaccessible or too hazardous, can
be mined safely.” IM also asked GroundProbe
about whether there has been more steepening
of pits to maximise production and as a result
more needs for slope stability monitoring. “As far
as steepening slopes is concerned, companies
are reluctant to go on the record about doing
this, however we have seen many mines
implement SSR as part of a broader, multi-
layered risk management strategy as they
steepen slopes. There are quite a few sites
around the world doing just that.”
In terms of the tailings dam focus,
GroundProbe adds: “Interestingly, we have seen
that of monitoring tailings dams has become
very important after Samarco, and have seen an
increase in demand for this type of application.”
Another major trend has been the movement
of radar monitoring systems much more into the
underground environment, mainly due to more
issues with rock movement underground as
mines go deeper, but also the fact that the
equipment has become more advanced and
more manageable underground in terms of
weight and size. Reutech Mining has recently been introduced to
the market which the company says, “is set to
help increase mine safety as well as making a
contribution to increased productivity.”
And although the system Reutech says is allowing operation of the SSP to continue
indefinitely.”
The data collected is wirelessly transmitted to
a tablet computer, where it is processed in real
time, thus giving instant feedback about fault
more user-friendly than comparable products
currently available, it still at a very competitive
price. “We believe in designing innovative radar
products that solve complex problems in simple
ways. This passion drives our desire to think
outside of the box; to rethink old problems and
reimagine new solutions. It has led us to a
product that improves underground mining
productivity and safety in a revolutionary way,”
says Jan de Beer, Reutech Mining Executive.
He explains that the Sub Surface Profiler
(SSP) is a low-cost, light-weight ground
penetrating radar (GPR) designed specifically for
the challenges of the underground mining
environment: “It weighs less than 4.5 kg and its
patented, compact ergonomic design allows for
one-handed operation by one person in much
the same way as a paint roller. The SSP is
extremely power efficient, and makes use of
small, rechargeable batteries which can be
replaced during underground operations, structures, up to 6 m inside the rock mass,
present within the rock while scanning. “This
improves dynamic decision making, and allows
for the precise management of ground-fall risks,
as well as the optimal utilisation of support
mechanisms in an environment where every
second counts,” adds De Beer.
The development of the system was
prompted by the safety and productivity
challenges faced by underground mines
internationally. Reutech worked with a leading
South African mining group which needed a
better solution to address ground-fall risks. A
ground-fall event can have a devastating impact
on the bottom line of any underground mine: “It
could lead to a loss of life, damaged equipment
and even mine closure,” says De Beer. “If one
can accurately identify fault structures hidden
inside the rock – structures that cannot be seen
by the naked eye – and also if you can improve
the flow of information once a fault structure
T
Reutech addresses underground
with SSP
A new “compact and convenient” ground
penetrating radar system developed locally by
66 International Mining | AUGUST 2017
Reutech Mining’s Sub Surface
Profiler (SSP) is a low-cost, light-
weight ground penetrating radar
(GPR) designed specifically for the
challenges of the underground
mining environment