JSW’s Management Board has committed to the modernization of management and design processes in mines. The Company is implementing several projects, including 3D deposit modelling and production scheduling. All projects require an immense involvement of the mine’s surveying and geological departments and, obviously, the purchase of modern equipment. After earlier purchases of modern tachymeters, the surveyors at JSW have now received handheld scanners.
- The production chain digitization and computerization process implemented by JSW is connected directly with equipping the surveying and geological departments with new equipment. We must remember that in the conditions of a mine and management of the mining process, the preparation phase is critical for ensuring rationality and accuracy of production. It means that the necessary information about the characteristics of the mined deposit, in particular the factors that restrict the mining work, must be collected. The digitization and computerization process is included in the 2030 strategy in our “Quality” and “Efficiency” programs – said Artur Dyczko, Vice-Presient of the JSW Management Board on strategy and development.
Why handheld scanners? This results from the unique conditions of mining in the Upper Silesia region, and in particular in JSW’s mines, where excavations are conducted at significant depths, where the size and natural hazards limit the suitability of traditional measuring equipment. According to surveyors, there is no alternative that could ensure preparation of good underground mine documentation, other than transition from the current 2D documentation to 3D documentation. With such high concentration of drilling, preparatory and mining works, the project requires the use of modern measuring equipment and instruments that ensure high accuracy with a relatively short measurement time, but do not interrupt the ongoing operation of the mine.
The first stage of implementation of handheld scanners in JSW mines involved test measurements using various types of laser scanners. The employees of the Faculty of Mining Surveying and Environmental Engineering of the AGH University of Science and Technology were very helpful here, as their substantive support facilitated a quick decision to purchase a ZEB-REVO RT handheld scanner.
It is a small, mobile device supporting scans performed in motion, with a total weight not exceeding 1 kg. Its operates on the basis on a SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) algorithm, which builds a detailed representation of the surroundings in 3D. The scanner works with a tablet, on which the progress of scanning can be observed in real time. The measurement is carried out at a speed of 43,200 points/sec, with a 360° field of view. Its range is 30 meters for enclosed spaces and 15 to 20 meters for open spaces. The scan takes about 10 minutes and the software included in the package registers the measurements with an accuracy range of 3 to 30 cm. The handheld scanner has significantly improved and accelerated the preparation of surveying and geological documentation. Additionally, it is used in locations with limited access, such as locations with roof fall hazards, caving spaces, which contributes significantly to the improved safety of mining surveyors’ work. In addition to such a wide range of applications in underground works, the scanners are also used for surface works in measuring the volume of coal spoil tips, excavated material and facility inventories.
The next phase of the 3D measurement implementation project in Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa’s mines is the purchase of stationary scanners. So far, the Company has spent almost PLN 2 million on the purchase of modern measuring devices and it intends to spend another PLN 2.5 million in the near future. The first full 3D model of the JSW deposit is expected to be ready at the end of the year.