How can a Smart Geotechnical Monitoring Solution Transform Underground Mining Operations?

Welcome to the second part of our geotechnical monitoring blog series. We appreciate your patience in waiting for this follow-up to our previous deep dive into the critical role of smart geotechnical monitoring in underground mining. If you're just joining us, hold on tight! We highly recommend first exploring the foundational concepts we laid out in our earlier post, "Why is a Smart Geotechnical Monitoring Solution Essential in Underground Mining?". It's a crucial context for what we're about to discuss. Consider it your essential pre-reading before venturing further into the depths. 

For those who have already journeyed with us through that initial exploration, welcome back! We know your time is valuable, so we won't rehash familiar territory. This isn't a "Mining 101" refresher course. Instead, we're going to illuminate the practical application of these principles. Specifically, we'll pull back the curtain on MineOne™ Geotechnical Monitoring Solution for underground mining. It is co-developed by Ramjack and Reactore, and in this blog, we will be demonstrating precisely how it functions and, more importantly, how it delivers tangible benefits to our clients. Do you know what makes MineOne™ even more unique? It is driven by Devum™, a generative AI-powered low-code application platform. So, prepare to descend with us into the intricate world of underground mining as we explore the power and potential of MineOne™. Let's get started! 

Key Instruments for Comprehensive Geotechnical Monitoring

Geotechnical monitoring involves the continuous, systematic observation and measurement of ground behaviour, structural integrity, and environmental factors to ensure safe and efficient mining operations. From analysing seismic activity to managing ground stability, this practice plays a vital role in minimising risks in challenging underground environments.

How the MineOne™ Geotechnical Monitoring Solution Works?  

The MineOne™ Geotechnical Monitoring Solution integrates a suite of technologies, real-time monitoring tools (as mentioned above), and predictive analytics to help mining operators maintain stability and maximise efficiency. It offers a holistic approach to underground mining, bringing together data from various geotechnical instruments and transforming it into actionable insights. Here’s a step-by-step look at how it works.

Let’s elaborate on each of MineOne™'s underground mining management solution features: 

1. Underground Drilling and Blasting Visualisation: Precision and Control for drilling and blasting 

The mining process begins with the crucial steps of drilling and blasting, which require meticulous planning and execution. The MineOne™ suite of solutions provide a comprehensive suite of tools to ensure these operations are conducted safely and efficiently:  

• Detailed Mapping of Drill holes: Instead of relying on manual records, the solution logs every drilled hole digitally within the system. This includes precise GPS coordinates, depth, angle, and any other relevant parameters. This detailed mapping ensures that the drilling adheres to the operational plan, minimising deviations and optimising the blasting pattern for effective rock fragmentation. It creates a single source of truth for drill hole information, eliminating ambiguity and reducing the risk of errors.
  
  
• Real-time Blast Tracking: The MineOne™ Geotech system goes beyond merely planning blasts – it actively monitors them. Once the blast is complete, data from various installed instruments helps detect any geological events, such as disturbances in the rock mass or other geological layers. Furthermore, it records and categorises each blasting event, capturing crucial data such as the blast’s timing and the quantity of explosives used. This real-time feedback loop enables engineers to assess the effectiveness of each blast immediately, identify areas for improvement, and refine future blasting strategies for optimal results.
  
  
• Drawbell Formation Insights: Drawbells are strategically designed openings created during blasting to facilitate the efficient extraction of ore. Their formation and progression are critical to the overall mining process. The system monitors the development of drawbells. This monitoring helps prevent unplanned collapses, which can disrupt operations and pose safety hazards. By providing early warnings of potential instability, the system allows for proactive intervention and ensures a continuous and safe ore flow.  
  

By continuously collecting and analysing this data, these visualisation tools provide a holistic view of the drilling and blasting process. This empowers mining engineers to make informed decisions, optimise blasting strategies, and ensure safe and controlled operations, leading to increased efficiency and reduced risk.

2. Real-time Structural Monitoring and Reinforcement: Ensuring Stability in the Underground Environment

The stability of underground tunnels and excavation zones is paramount for the safety of personnel and the continuity of operations. MineOne™ seamlessly integrates several critical components to provide continuous structural assessment and prevent unexpected failures: 

• 3D Digital Twins: MineOne™ powered by Devum™, creates a detailed digital twin of the mine, a virtual representation of the underground environment. This 3D geospatial model provides engineers with a comprehensive view of the mine's structure, including tunnels, excavations, and geological formations. This virtual environment allows them to assess stability, identify potential weak points, and simulate the impact of mining activities on the surrounding rock mass.
  

• Multi-Point Borehole Extensometers (MPBX): MPBX are sophisticated sensors installed within boreholes to monitor rock movement. These sensors provide early warnings of potential ground instability by detecting even minute changes in rock displacement. The data from MPBX is streamed in real-time to the system, allowing engineers to identify trends, analyse deformation patterns, and proactively address potential issues before they escalate into failures. 
  
  
• Support System Visualisation: Support systems using smart cable and other instruments are crucial reinforcement structures for supporting underground tunnels. You can monitor the placement and integrity of these reinforcements. The system visualises the location of each smart cable and the movement of rocks, ensuring they are installed correctly and remain structurally sound over time. This visualisation allows for easy inspection and maintenance planning, ensuring the long-term stability of the mine workings. It gives insights to rock engineers to decide and monitor the support system and their behaviours on any event. And to analyse the load distributions over the structures using heatmap visualisations with the help of monitoring instruments. 

This comprehensive level of monitoring empowers mining teams to anticipate deformations, identify high-risk zones, and implement preventive measures, such as additional support or adjustments to the mining plan, before failures occur, significantly enhancing safety and operational continuity. 

3. Advanced Geotechnical Instrumentation and Data Insights: A Comprehensive View of Underground Conditions 

Maintaining underground stability requires a network of geotechnical instruments strategically placed throughout the mine. MineOne™’s Geotechnical Monitoring Solution seamlessly integrates and processes data from a multitude of sources, providing a comprehensive understanding of the complex underground environment: 

• Geophones: These sensitive instruments monitor underground vibrations and can detect seismic activity in real-time. They provide crucial information about ground stresses and potential rock bursts, enabling proactive measures to be taken to mitigate risks.
  
  
• Survey Prisms: Survey prisms are highly reflective targets installed at key locations within the mine. Precise measurements of their position over time allow engineers to track ground movement and identify areas of displacement. This data is essential for understanding the overall stability of the mine and predicting potential hazards.
  
  
• Smart Markers: Specifically designed for cave monitoring, smart markers provide valuable insights into ore movement and subsidence risks. These markers transmit data about their location and movement, allowing the planning teams to understand the dynamics of the cave and optimise extraction strategies. 
  
  
• INSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar): INSAR is a remote sensing technique that uses satellite imagery to generate highly detailed maps of ground deformation. Since MineOne is powered by Devum, it seamlessly integrates INSAR data to create heat maps that visualise internal pressure distribution and stress points within the mine. This provides a broad overview of ground conditions and helps identify areas requiring more detailed investigation. 

Final Thoughts... 

By seamlessly analysing the extensive data collected from a wide array of geotechnical instruments, Reactore, in collaboration with Ramjack, delivers a comprehensive and dynamic geotechnical monitoring solution. While Reactore’s advanced software platform centralises and visualises critical geotechnical data, Ramjack’s deep expertise in mining technology and operational consulting ensures the solution is tailored to real-world mining challenges. Together, we empower mining operations with precise, data-driven insights - enhancing mine design, structural reinforcements, and extraction processes to maximise both safety and efficiency.

Building upon this foundation, our commitment to advancing occupational hygiene in mining is evident. In our recent webinar, "Enhancing Occupational Hygiene in Mining: Innovative Solutions for Ventilation Management and Gas Monitoring," the Ramjack team, alongside esteemed industry experts from LCS, Conspec Controls and Reactore, explored strategies and technologies designed to improve occupational hygiene and ensure compliance with evolving regulatory frameworks. 

Looking ahead, there’s more to uncover. If you found this exploration insightful, get ready for the next chapter, where we delve into the intricacies of Hydrology Monitoring, Seismic Risk Mitigation, and Performance Optimisation in underground mining. Trust us you won’t want to miss what lies ahead! 

Got questions? Curious about how we can transform your mining operations? Get in touch, and let’s dig deeper - together! 

Alternatively, feel free to reach out to us directly if you’d prefer not to wait for our next blog release.