Borehole Geological Data Acquisition via Drill Rig Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for acquiring geological data in mining, such as drill rig measurement systems and additional sampling facilities, are insufficient for determining the geological nature of drilled materials, leading to suboptimal blast hole charge designs and inefficiencies in downstream processing.
Innovation Solution
An automated borehole data collection method using a geological data measurement instrument mounted on a mine vehicle, which aligns with and deploys into boreholes to acquire geophysical, petrophysical, and compositional data, enabling the determination of geological characteristics and informing charge profiles for blast holes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a self-contained mobile sampling and processing facility is used to assay material from the blast hole, then geological data can be obtained, but additional capital outlay is required for the machine and operator
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the geological measurement instrument with the drill rig or explosives truck, integrating multiple functions into existing vehicles. The drill rig now performs both drilling and geological data collection, eliminating the need for separate sampling facilities and reducing capital outlay while maintaining comprehensive data acquisition capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The existing drill rig and explosives truck are equipped with additional geological measurement capabilities, transforming them into multi-functional vehicles. The drill rig can now drill blast holes and simultaneously collect geological data through integrated instruments, while the explosives truck can deliver explosives and perform geological surveys, maximizing asset utilization without requiring dedicated specialized equipment
2Loss of information
If a self-contained mobile sampling and processing facility is deployed, then material composition data can be acquired, but the drill and blast method is substantially slowed down
Solution Approach 1:
The geological measurement instrument collects data during the drilling process itself, before the blasting operation begins. By acquiring geological information in advance through the integrated instrument, the system eliminates the need for separate post-drilling sampling and analysis steps, maintaining fast drill-and-blast cycles while ensuring comprehensive geological data is available for charge profile optimization
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement instrument operates continuously during the drilling process, collecting geological data at multiple depths without interrupting the drilling operation. This continuous data acquisition approach ensures that geological information is gathered efficiently alongside the primary drilling function, preventing slowdowns while maintaining data completeness
3Productivity
If drill rig measurement systems are used to acquire data during drilling, then some geological information can be obtained, but the data does not provide sufficient diagnostic information to fully determine the geological nature of the drilled material
Solution Approach 1:
The system integrates multiple types of measurement instruments with different sensing capabilities into a single geological data collection system. By combining instruments that measure different geological properties (such as rock strength, composition, and structural characteristics), the system achieves comprehensive diagnostic coverage that no single instrument could provide alone, enabling full determination of the geological nature of drilled materials
Data Source
AI summary
A system for blast hole data collection for use in a mine site incorporates an instrument configured to acquire geological property data of a blast hole for processing in the system or remotely and a vehicle having a handling system configured to move the instrument into and out of the blast hole as an interchangeable element with a drill string or prior to explosives charging and charging the blast hole in accordance with a determined charge profile.