Robotic Blast-Hole Sampling and On-Site Ore Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current manual sampling methods from blast-holes in mines are inefficient, leading to unreliable and inaccurate data due to ergonomic constraints, fatigue, and time-consuming processes, which negatively impact mine operations, especially in extreme environments.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained mobile sampling and processing facility equipped with a primary robotic arm and sampling tool, capable of autonomously locating and sampling blast-hole cones, with optional manual input, and a processing facility that includes a crusher, conveyor, splitter, and bagging means, ensuring accurate and representative samples with reduced operator fatigue and increased efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual sampling is performed by workers using hand-held augers, then sampling can be conducted at blast-holes, but the sampling accuracy and representativeness deteriorate due to mixing and stirring of the cone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical sampling system with an automated robotic arm system. The robotic arm carries a sampling tool that can be precisely positioned and controlled to extract samples without the mixing and stirring problems associated with manual operation. The automated control system eliminates human ergonomic constraints while maintaining precise sampling accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If multiple manual drillings are performed to improve sampling accuracy, then sample representativeness improves, but the time required for sampling increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic sampling system enables continuous operation without the interruptions and fatigue associated with manual sampling. The automated arm can perform multiple drillings in rapid succession, maintaining consistent sampling accuracy throughout the process without degradation from worker fatigue. The system continuously operates to collect representative samples efficiently.
3Quantity of substance
If workers collect samples in bags weighing 10-12 kgs, then sufficient sample quantity is obtained, but worker fatigue increases and sample quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system performs the sampling and collection task autonomously without human physical intervention. The robotic arm collects samples and deposits them into containers, eliminating the need for workers to manually handle heavy 10-12 kg bags. This self-service approach maintains sample quality by preventing degradation from worker fatigue while still collecting sufficient sample quantities for analysis.
4Productivity
If manual sampling teams operate in extreme environments, then sampling can continue, but worker efficiency and safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic sampling system replaces human workers with an automated mechanical system that can operate in extreme environments without suffering from heat stress, cold, or other environmental hazards. The robotic arm maintains consistent sampling efficiency regardless of environmental conditions, eliminating the performance degradation and safety risks associated with manual operation in extreme temperatures.
5Measurement precision
If samples are transported from blast-holes to centralized laboratories, then analysis can be performed, but the time required for analysis increases from 10-30 hours
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sampling function with on-site processing capabilities by integrating a processing facility directly at the mine location. This merging of sampling and processing operations eliminates the need to transport samples to centralized laboratories, reducing analysis time from 10-30 hours to a much shorter duration while maintaining analysis accuracy through proper sample handling and processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A self-contained mobile sampling and processing facility for use at a mine having at least one blast-hole that forms a blast-hole cone wherein the sampling and processing facility includes at least one primary robotic arm that carries at least one sampling tool, and the primary robotic arm and sampling tool is controlled by robotic arm and sampling tool movement controller means, and the primary robotic arm is capable of self-determining the direction, distance and shape of a nearby blast-hole cone, then subsequently positioning itself so that the sampling tool is able to engage with the blast-hole cone and retrieve a sample from it without significant mixing or stirring the cone, or a localized region of the cone, and then the sample is deposited into the processing facility.