Spotlight Feature Articles Ansul Modern Open Pits February 16 | Page 11

MODERN OPEN PITS_proof 23/10/2015 10:09 Page 10

MODERN OPEN PITS
well as the volume of small rock falls is
invaluable for improving the rock fall database to
reduce risk in the vicinity of highwall toes.
Viewing data in 2D and 3D with overlaid images
and heat maps improves analysis of movement
trends. Sentry graphical and statistical reporting
tools have enabled a better understanding of the
failure mechanisms of several movement types –
a slow progression highwall toppling, a weathered
slump failure and slumping under a haul ramp.
Consolidated Mining & Civil Pty Ltd (CMC) has
acquired a Maptek Sentry monitoring system,
primarily for use at Havilah Resources Ltd’s
Portia gold mine in South Australia. The Sentry
solution is an active monitoring system for
tracking movement and notifying stakeholders
about potentially unsafe areas of an open pit
operation. A long range I-Site 8820 laser scanner
and dedicated software help sites measure and
analyse unpredictable wall movement. CMC is
responsible for removing all of the overburden
and bringing the ore to the surface at the Portia
gold mine which lies 100 km northwest of the
Broken Hill regional mining centre. At Portia the
gold occurs in a 2-3 m layer below 75 m of clay
overburden, which is being removed to access
the ore. At Portia the Sentry solution will be
applied to track movement and stability of walls
in the open pit. The I-Site laser scanner will also
be used for routine survey applications
throughout the operation. A rugged Maptek
mount attaching the I-Site laser scanner to the
roof of a site vehicle, gives CMC greater flexibility
for surveying large areas efficiently.
“When even minor variances from target
outcomes can have a dramatic impact on mining
costs and performance, data turnaround is
critical. Laser scanners produce millions of 3D
data points in minutes. Reliable accurate data
allows miners to easily reconcile material
movement and surface positions in 3D against
plans and designs for pit shapes, stopes or
cavities”, says Johnson. “Mobile computing on
tablets, phones and other devices means miners
are able to use the data in real-time in the field.
Maptek systems measure and analyse
operational data during the mining process,
enabling improved decision making.”

Reducing open pit ore loss and dilution
At the current point in the commodity price cycle,
every dollar, pound and euro counts on mine
sites. There is greater scrutiny than ever on
optimising existing operations. Datamine has
released a new solution that it says can deliver
$20-40 million of bottom line improvements to
typical medium-sized base and precious metals
open pit operations. The Ore Controller product
provides a reliable and repeatable method to
reduce ore loss and dilution in open pit mines.
Dylan Webb, Director of Technology at Datamine,

52 International Mining | NOVEMBER 2015

Blast design work using
Datamine Ore Controller
states: “Grade control
approaches of the past
typically included
cumbersome scripted or
customised solutions, that
were difficult to maintain
and highly reliant on skilled
geologists to administer.
Ore Controller is a professionally developed,
configurable, generic product that caters for rapid
model updates from blast-hole samples, blast throw
prediction and integration with survey and mining
equipment for the electronic transfer of dig lines.
Using a central database and configurable workflow,
Ore Controller breaks up grade control tasks into
clearly-defined activities, and guides each user
through their day to day work. The system can be
implemented stand-alone or in combination with a
blast movement monitoring system for maximum
results.” In the first year of its release, Ore Controller
has been adopted in operations all around the world
at companies including Anglo American, First
Quantum Minerals, Polyus Gold, and African Minerals
amongst others.

Future possibilities with RIEGL
IM spoke with Ananda Fowler, RIEGL’s Manager
of Terrestrial Laser Scanning about RIEGL’s unique
range of LiDAR laser scanning options and the
breadth of the mining industry it is already being
used in. RIEGL’s remote sensing instrumentation
range includes everything from high altitude LiDAR
used by mines for e