Online Monitoring of Mines
Online Monitoring of Mines
Online Monitoring of Mines
APPLICATION NOTE
1 INTRODUCTION
Following solutions are available with Encardio-rite for online monitoring of mines:
▪ Geotechnical sensors to measure all relevant parameters required to monitor different types of
dams
▪ Automatic monitoring of geotechnical sensors with SDI-12 digital interface using SDI-12 data
logger with GSM/GPRS telemetry
▪ Automatic monitoring of geotechnical sensors using LoRa nodes and gateways
▪ Geodetic monitoring with automatic total stations (ATS) with GSM/GPRS telemetry
▪ Laser scanning
▪ Survey by UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicle) or drones
▪ Public cloud-based web data management service (WDMS) that provides data online (with
alarms) to authorised users at different locations on their computers/mobile devices.
Advances in geotechnical instrumentation, geodetic survey and data transmission systems make it
possible to monitor the performance of mining works from any remote location, conveniently and
economically. The datalogger and total station automatically collect reading from the installed sensors
and targets, at selected intervals. An alarm is triggered or SMS is automatically sent if any of the pre-
determined trigger values are exceeded. Data is transmitted to a remote data management software,
at a central server or cloud, where large quantities of collected data are processed, evaluated and
presented as meaningful information. The same becomes accessible to the concerned authorities, at
their desk or mobile devices through the world wide web.
Slope monitoring forms an integral part of the risk management of open-pit mines. The monitoring
Underground mining is carried out when ore deposits are located deep below the surface. The
following are the major underground mining methods:
5 GEOTECHNICAL SENSORS
Instruments available with Encardio-rite for surface and sub-surface online monitoring of mines are as
follows:
Sub-surface
Sub-surface Model EDS-70V vibrating wire type multiple point Open-pit mine: near-
movements uni- borehole extensometer for monitoring sub-surface horizontal installation at the
directional movements at different depths face of the excavation
Underground mine: Vertically
Yield-point’s d-EXTO Mk II multipoint borehole
upwards and near-horizontal
extensometer with up to six (6) Linear Variable
installations inside the mine
Induction Transducers (LVIT). All rods are housed
within a single fiberglass tube. The maximum
diameter of the MPBX is 25 mm including the
head assembly.
Pore pressure Model EPP-30V vibrating wire piezometer for Tailing dam, infill, and
monitoring pore pressure variations during fill or foundation (titanium option
excavation available for harsh
The above piezometers are suitable for multilevel applications)
installations in a single borehole using the fully Open-pit, around excavation
grouted method. The grout effectively limits the in slope for slope stability
intake zone for the piezometer, preventing investigations
migration of water upwards or downwards through The underground mine, in
the borehole. VW piezometers can also be rock mass around the
Over 50 years of excellence through ingenuity
Parameter Instrument Application area
installed in the same boreholes used for excavation.
inclinometers
Water level Model AWLR 101 automatic water level recording In the observation wells within
system the body and around the
tailing dam, to monitor the
water level
For measuring the level in the
reservoir of a tailings dam, it
is recommended to use a
non-contact type sensor such
as a radar type. This because
of the highly corrosive nature
of the tailings stored in the
reservoir
Surface instruments
Displacement Model EDJ-40V crack and joint meters for Open-pit, to monitor any
monitoring displacement/opening of cracks in the crack opening
rock mass
Anchor load Model ELC-30S/ELC-30SH resistive strain gage Open-pit, on anchors placed
type center hole load cell for monitoring tension in in slopes
anchors and rock bolts used for stabilizing the The underground mine, on
slope or tunnel lining. anchors placed in rock mass
around the excavation area
Convergence Model ERT-20P2 mini prism target to monitor 3D The underground mine,
deformations using an automated total station around the excavation, to
(ATS) with control box monitor convergence and
deformation of the rock mass
Open-pit, around excavation
in slope to monitor slope
stabilization/deformation
Stress Model ESC-30V vibrating wire shotcrete pressure The underground mine, the
cell or model EPS-30V-C vibrating wire concrete stress of rock mass around
pressure cell for monitoring radial and tangential excavation, hoop and radial
stress in shotcrete lining stresses in concrete tunnel
linings/shotcrete (if a
permanent tunnel is being
constructed)
Encardio-rite offers advanced automatic dataloggers with an in-built GSM/GPRS modem for data
collection of geotechnical instruments with SDI-12 digital interface and transmission to a remote
server. The dataloggers can be programmed to measure once every 5 seconds to once every 168
hours.
BOREHOLE
TILTMETER IPI SENSOR EXTENSOMETER CRACK METER STRAIN GAGE LOAD CELL PIEZOMETER
Remote real-time monitoring system with SDI-12 digital interface sensors and dataloggers
The advantage of the system is that only a single 3 conductor cable is required to interconnect all the
sensors in a daisy chain configuration and eventually to the datalogger. SDI-12 is a multi-drop
interface that can communicate with multi-parameter sensors.
Encardio-rite offers a state-of-the-art multi-hop wireless mesh network solution that allows real-time
monitoring of geotechnical sensors in challenging projects, with reliable data transfer over long
distances without any delay.
The system comprises sensors interfaced with the long-range, low power mesh network through
nodes that send recorded data to the gateway with over 99 % reliability. The gateway uploads the
collected sensor data to the central/cloud server.
The unique feature of our innovative mesh network is that even if a node cannot reach the gateway
directly, it can send its data to the gateway via other nodes in the network. The mesh network allows
all nodes to talk to each other, thus allowing them to relay data from other nodes to the Gateway. This
ensures that data from all nodes are transferred to gateway (and hence cloud server) without any
delay.
The wireless system eliminates the need for running lengthy cables, thus offering benefits such as
convenient installations, cost & time savings, remote monitoring of hard to access locations and easy
maintenance.
PIEZOMETER
VW NODE
8-CHANNEL CRACK METER
4G/LTE CELLULAR
REMOTE USER
OR ETHERNET LOAD CELL
GATEWAY
SENSORS
TILT METER
CLOUD PLATFORM
Remote real-time monitoring system with wireless (RF) nodes and gateways
Over 50 years of excellence through ingenuity
8 BLUETOOTH 5 BASED WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORK
YieldPoint’s d-EXTO digital MPBX can be wirelessly networked in a star topology for data retrieval and
transmission using an extremely low energy data transfer technology, based on Bluetooth 5. It
features the same low power features like Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) but with 4 times its range (100
m). The Bluetooth devices of the wireless network include BluPoint which enables Bluetooth
connectivity to the digital MPBX, BluLoggers, and BluGateways. The above bluetooth device also
allows the site personnel to take the latest readings with an Android phone or tablet installed with
BluPoint App. From a distance of around 10 m. BluGateways can autonomously collect data from
BluLink or Bluelogger and transmit it via a WiFi or LTE-M network to a central server. BluLoggers can
also be fitted to vehicles to wirelessly collect readings from sensors with BlueLink during a drive-by.
The above Bluetooth devices run on lithium or alkaline batteries. With 1 reading/hr the alkaline
batteries will last 2-3 years, and lithium batteries over 4 years.
Encardio-rite offers an automatic three-dimensional deformation monitoring system with the highest
accuracy achievable in the industry presently. Displacement data is measured from the prism targets
by a high precision and accuracy robotic total station with a dedicated control box that includes a
computer running special software.
The control box manages the total station and schedules the frequency of the measurements, the
addition or subtraction of monitor benchmarks, the filters of acceptance or repetition of each
measurement, the atmospheric corrections in distance measurements, the calculation, and
repositioning of the total station, etc.
The whole system can be controlled/re-configured remotely after installation at the site. The on-site
system transmits the collected raw data to a remote server/computer via GPRS/GPS. The system has
the facility of alert notifications through SMS and (or) e-mail to the authorized team for any result
exceeding present alarm and critical levels. The deformation data is available online through WDMS in
near real-time.
10 LASER SCANNING
Laser scanning is an advanced method of surveying and conducting geometric profiling of mining
works that require the highest degree of analysis, are difficult to reach or gain access to, or are not to
be touched. Recent developments, especially in the software, have made it one of the fastest,
convenient, cost-effective, accurate and efficient tools to accurately monitor underground
excavations/caverns in three-dimensions.
The advantage of laser scanning is that the measurements are not limited only to specific prism spots,
but covers all the exposed surfaces. Particularly useful to monitor the remaining columns supporting
the overburden. Completion of the fieldwork results in a geo-referenced point cloud which, due to its
great density and its ability to bear information on the reflectivity and/or the color of each point, comes
close to the term, “virtual reality”.
OPSIS is a software tool developed to overcome the impediment caused by the vast amounts of data
LiDAR. The idea within its core is to perform operations over the raw data from the LiDAR to obtain a
significantly smaller data set to carry out the analysis.
The task of monitoring the deformations or displacements of the scanned objects to perceive possible
changes using OPSIS comes down to processing the subsequent point clouds obtained in different
epochs using the same projection surface and grid obtained as the best fit for the initial point cloud. If
significant changes in the object’s geometrical form were to occur, variations of the cell’s mean values
will make them easily detectable.
Inspection of huge and complex excavation works like mining requires high degree of analysis but at
times are difficult to reach or gain access to. Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)/Drones is best
suited for such applications.
Encardio-rite offers complete cloud-based web or local access data monitoring service to its
customers for retrieving data from the dataloggers/gateways, archiving retrieved data in a SQL
database, processing data and presenting the processed data in tabular and most suitable graphical
forms for easy interpretation. Heart of the system is Drishti data management software. This is a
highly flexible data management platform that can combine data from geotechnical, geodetic and
environmental sensors.
Encardio-rite cloud services work on a rental model. The user has to pay a small setup fee for the first
time and then a monthly rental has to be paid for accessing the data over the cloud as long as
required. Alternatively, it can be installed on the client’s server, if required. Features of the monitoring
data management software can be summarized as follows:
▪ Data from multiple sensor types are converted into meaningful information in graphical as well
as the numerical format
▪ A layout plan or Google Maps can be incorporated with the locations of each monitoring
sensor. From this view, the user can get data in the graphical form of any sensor with few
mouse clicks
▪ The web browser interface is very simple to use and intuitive
▪ Access to all sensors in one platform
▪ Generate combined charts of related parameters
13 CONCLUSION
An online monitoring solution for mining works is not expensive compared to the losses incurred in case
of any failure. By monitoring mines, corrective action may become possible earlier than the occurrence
of any failure. The data observed from the installed sensors as described above plays a vital role in
safeguarding the mining progress, human lives, environment, and nearby properties, providing timely
warnings to take corrective measures.
To obtain the best results, the instruments need to be of superior quality and must be installed
carefully and precisely under expert supervision; since once embedded, the instrument cannot be
taken out. Encardio-rite designs manufacture and supply world-class sensors having long term
reliability to almost 55 countries around the globe.
The collection and analysis of large quantities of data from the huge area require centralized and
automated database systems as data monitored must be made available to the user promptly as
meaningful information. The data collected must be reduced to a convenient form. Automated
database solutions offered by Encardio-rite do the processing and analysis of the collected raw data
and provide accurate data, rapidly, enabling efficient alarm systems.
ENCARDIO-RITE GROUP
Bahrain | Bhutan | Greece | India | Morocco | Qatar | Spain | UAE | UK | USA 1901-R01 | April 2020