MINEXPO PREVIEW
RIEGL VZ-4000 Long Range Scanner : data acquisition within a typical mining environment
The system is complemented with three
“ easy-to-use and intuitive mining apps ” ( Monitoring App , DesignCompare App , Slopeangle App ) that support users in their daily work , especially in critical situations , the company said .
The RIEGL miniVUX-2UAV is an extremely lightweight airborne laser scanner , designed specifically for integration with UAS / UAV / RPAS . The ‘ sister ’ of the RIEGL miniVUX-1UAV sensor offers 100 kHz and 200 kHz laser pulse repetition rate ( PRR ). With 200 kHz PRR , the sensor provides up to 200,000 measurements per second and , thus , a dense point pattern on the ground for UAV-based applications that require the acquisition of small objects .
The RIEGL miniVUX-3UAV is also an extremely lightweight airborne laser scanner designed specifically for integration with drones . It is the sister of the RIEGL miniVUX-2UAV and RIEGL miniVUX-1UAV sensor and offers a selectable 100 kHz , 200 kHz , and 300 kHz laser PPR . With 300 kHz PRR , the sensor provides up to 100,000 measurements per second at 120 ° FoV and , thus , a dense point pattern on the ground for dronebased applications that require the acquisition of small objects .
The small and sophisticated design of the stable aluminium housing on both the miniVUX- 2UAV and miniVUX- 3UAV offers various integration possibilities with platforms that offer restricted space or payload capabilities , according to RIEGL , with the 360 ° field of view allowing complete acquisition of the environment .
Olympus will once again be showcasing its Vanta Portable X-ray fluorescence ( pXRF ) analyser at MINExpo 2021 , a product that , it says , has become an important part of the exploration geologist ’ s toolkit .
Recently , Todd Houlahan , Olympus ’ Director of International Mining , chatted with Lars Dahlenborg , President of Hannan Metals , to discuss how Hannan used three Olympus Vanta pXRF analysers on copper ( Cu ) and silver ( Ag ) projects in Peru .
Hannan has over 2,000 sq . km of tenure in Peru and , in 2021 , started using several Vanta pXRFs extensively on its San Martin project , a sediment-hosted copper-silver target located in north-central Peru . A key characteristic of stratabound sediment-hosted copper deposits is highgrade mineralisation in shales that are a few decimetres to several metres thick and laterally extensive .
The project is in the forelands of the Amazon Basin in dense rainforest , steep topography with up to a three-hour walk from the nearest 4x4 road . Hannan , Olympus said , must maximise its time in these areas to get the most from its exploration budget .
Prospecting creeks and stream sediments is effective in this terrain , however the dense vegetation and lack of rock outcrop (< 1 %) makes it challenging to prove the continuity of mineralisation between outcrops . For this reason , systematic sampling of soils and analysis using Olympus Vanta pXRFs was chosen to map mineralisation under cover .
To date over 2,000 soil samples have been collected , with over 400 sent to ALS Laboratories for a check analysis . Excellent spatial correlation between Vanta pXRF and ALS was observed for copper , the primary element of interest . The Vanta analyser identified the same anomalies as the laboratory data in the same dynamic parts per million range . There was also very good correlation with known outcrop mineralisation , Olympus claimed .
Hannan implemented a rigorous QA / QC program and trialled several testing methodologies ( in-situ , ex-situ , humid , dried in microwave ), finally settling on a combination method developed by management and local geologists . Hannan found it was able to derive fit-for-purpose data with the Vanta analyser on key pathfinder elements copper , zinc , manganese , iron , arsenic and nickel , as well as the major elements potassium , calcium , magnesium , barium , silicon and titanium .
The key advantages pXRF provided Hannan on this project , according to Olympus , were : n Real-time decision making to determine infill or extension of sample traverses ; n 60 % faster sampling : higher sampling rate equals larger areas sampled ; n Reduced communication time of results between social teams and management ; n Reduction of 800 kg / mth of soil being carted by horse and then transported in a fourwheel drive vehicle to a laboratory in Lima ; and n Payback time of one Vanta pXRF analyser is circa-four months at current sampling rate ( only accounting for hard assay costs – not all the other logistical benefits ). As the global mining industry converges in
Las Vegas , RPMGlobal is due to show how its
AUGUST 2021 | International Mining