SPECIAL FOCUS: DRONES
M
ine operators know that safety precautions are of the utmost importance
in the daily routine at a mining site. Conventional surveying methods involved considerable eff ort and resources on the ground. Starting with electronic tachometers and later with ground GPS, surveyors have had to enter high-risk areas on the ground and spend considerable time to complete a survey. Some of the most acidic areas cannot even be entered as the risk to health and safety is too high. When compared with conventional ground surveying, it has been proven that the use of drones – or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) – for surveying immensely reduces the exposure to risk for surface workers involved on site. Instead of walking a mining site with
ground equipment, areas of any risks involved are surveyed by fl ying over the site. UAV surveys can be done in a fraction of the time of a ground survey and generally provide higher accuracies. Surveying projects that usually take weeks with conventional surveying methods can now be completed in just a few hours. Hence, UAV technology minimises risks while reducing costs and boosting productivity.
KAZAKHSTAN CASE STUDY In a recent project, Quest UAV was asked by Kaz Minerals to help raise safety and effi ciency to a higher level than ever before at one of the biggest open-pit mines in eastern Kazakhstan. Two local teams (eight people) went through an extensive two- week training programme on professional fl ight operations and aerial open-pit surveying with a QuestUAV 200 Surveyor. Following training by QuestUAV, both teams now fl y the two Q-200 Surveyors
A real-world case study from a copper mine in Kazakhstan showcases the merits of UAVs in modern mining operations
on a daily basis, with the following objectives: • To monitor mine status • To monitor and plan pit and leach pad progress
• To map and plan infrastructure (roads, buildings)
• To monitor the perimeter security fence • To estimate stock pile volumes • To monitor and plan site rehabilitation
Kaz Minerals is focused on copper mining, producing both copper cathode from oxide ore and copper in concentrate. T e pit development started in early 2013, supported by extensive surveys on
SMARTER SURVEYING
the ground. It is predicted that the mine will become the biggest mining operation in Kazakhstan within the next three years. A crucial part of Kaz Minerals’ strategy for a safe and effi cient pit development is to replace conventional survey methods with the latest UAV technology. T e company decided to go with QuestUAV as it provides a robust and stable system for diffi cult environments, high-quality sensors and ongoing support for the fl ight operations.
The QuestUAV 200 Surveyor is launched with a bungee line
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