Routine Application Of Radar In Underground Mining Applications

R & D into in-mine geophysics was initiated by the South African mining industry in the 1980’s when<br>a need was identified for techniques to routinely delineate geological structures from underground<br>excavations. Since then ground penetrating radar (GPR) has been established as a routine tool in<br>underground mining in South Africa for geological structure delineation and roof integrity studies.<br>Routine underground application of GPR requires reliable ruggedized instrumentation and innovative<br>survey methodologies. To this end the RockRadar system was developed, which provides excellent<br>data quality in the harsh confined conditions encountered underground. The system allows for rapid<br>data acquisition and in-mine data processing and interpretation. GPR is best used as a complementary<br>tool to in-mine exploration drilling, enabling more complete characterization of sites. GPR is seldom<br>used as a “blind’ technique where little information is available about the geology ahead of mining.<br>This strategy has enabled the successful routine underground use of radar while other in-mine<br>techniques such as radio tomography and in-mine seismics have as yet developed limited routine<br>implementation. Applications in metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary environments have been<br>developed. These include ore-body delineation, mapping of faults and intrusives, and delineation of<br>roof discontinuities. Data will be presented from the gold mines (delineation of ore-body and<br>faulting), platinum mines (delineation of roof discontinuities and ore-body disruptions), and basemetal<br>mines (delineation of roof discontinuities).