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Why getting raisebores and vents right are critical to any underground mining operation
July 10, 2024
Underground safety, productivity and profitability
Raisebores and vents are an integral part of any underground mining operation. Entities suffering from overbreak or self-mining can have significant implications on safety, efficiency, and productivity. Traditionally cameras were used to generate a mosaic or photogrammetric models of these structures but modern mobile Laser Scanners provide a new level of capability and insight. Here's an outline of some key concerns:
1. Structural Stability:
Overbreak can compromise the structural integrity of raisebores and vents, leading to instability and potential collapse. Structural weaknesses resulting from overbreak increase the risk of falls, rock bursts, and other geotechnical hazards.
2. Ventilation Disruption:
Overbreak can obstruct or damage ventilation pathways within raisebores and vents, disrupting airflow and ventilation systems. Reduced ventilation efficiency can lead to poor air quality, increased heat, and the accumulation of harmful gases, posing risks to worker health and safety.
3. Waste of Resources:
Overbreak requires additional haulage or extraction, consuming valuable resources, including time, labour, equipment, and materials, as additional effort is required to remove excess rock. Increased costs associated with overbreak can also require additional drilling, blasting, scaling, and support installation activities.
4. Project Delays and Cost Overruns:
Overbreak can result in project delays and cost overruns due to the need for remedial actions, rework, and additional resources to address excavation problems. Increased costs associated with overbreak can erode project profitability and competitiveness, particularly in industries with tight profit margins.
Our mining experience reinforces the adage that you can’t manage what you can’t see. Addressing overbreak in raisebores and vents requires proactive planning, effective risk management strategies, and the implementation of appropriate engineering controls and monitoring techniques which Digital Terrain offers as a mobile service.
Digital Terrain
Digital Terrain have solutions that replace or augment existing capabilities for capturing, processing, analysis and reporting. We also offer onsite instruction and training where customers seek to build their own expertise.
Enjoy the sample video of our capabilities and contact David Juany for any comments, questions, or service information.
david.Jaunay@digitalterrain.io or +61434317580
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