1920 Borehole radar (BHR) offers advanced capabilities for subsurface characterisation in mining and quarrying. Forward-looking BHR can predict coal seam tops by detecting intersections of direct and reflected signals before the drill bit reaches the seam, enabling proactive drilling decisions (Zhou & van de Werken, 2015; Zhou et al., 2020). Side-looking BHR configurations allow detection of poorly sampled sub-vertical fractures and bedding planes, which are critical for geotechnical assessment and rock quality evaluation (Zhou et al., 2021). Figure 4 illustrates a radar profile from a borehole filled with highly conductive water, showing distinct V-shaped borehole-guided events (BGEs). Events with opposite-phase reflections indicate lithologic boundaries, while same-phase reflections signify fractures. Blasthole radar systems, using larger drill rods (~200 mm), can enable real-time look-ahead via 5 GHz Wi-Fi. In contrast, slim-hole BHR tools (~40 mm) cannot support Wi-Fi during drilling and require internal data logging for post-survey analysis. Research into higher-frequency transmission and adapted oil-industry technologies with lower data rates is ongoing. Figure 4 - The bi-static BHR data acquired from a borehole filled with conductive water (high salinity) in Canada: (a) Raw bi-static BHR profile with borehole guided waves; (b) Enhanced guided wave events, after suppressing the direct arrivals and with 0.05 µs AGC applied. The RQD log in (b) has a high value to the right. (c) Same as (b) with direct reflected joints highlighted. 3. CROSS-FERTILIZATION WITH AEROSPACE Recent collaborations between CSIRO, Boeing, NASA and the ISS National Laboratory demonstrate how mining R&D can translate into aerospace-grade perception and mapping, and visa-versa. CSIRO’s Multi‑Resolution Scanner (MRS) payload has been developed through this collaboration to integrate two key technologies, namely Stereo‑Depth Fusion (SDF) with Wildcat SLAM, both currently being deployed in the mining sector. The payload was launched to the International Space Station in March 2024 and is currently in operation onboard NASA’s Astrobee free-flying robots (Smith et. al., 2016), generating high‑fidelity 3D maps, validating multi‑sensor fusion (stereo, time‑of‑flight & inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors) for autonomous mapping in complex environments (Elmouttie et. al., 2024). The SDF approach, borne from CSIRO’s original photogrammetry technology for geotechnical mapping (Poropat 2001) and further developed to overcome limitations of passive stereo in texture‑poor scenes by fusing prior range knowledge, has also been further developed with Boeing for manufacturing quality assurance and end‑effector tracking, showing that high‑speed, high‑accuracy 3D imaging can reduce inspection latency and enable precise robotic operations on large airframe assemblies. The same fusion principle directly benefits mining by stabilizing long‑range photogrammetry with potential improvements in 3D change detection on slopes, benches and highwalls where illumination, dust and geometry challenge single‑sensor methods. (Elmouttie & Dean 2021).
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM0Mzk2