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Philippine minerals have a wide range of ores from nickel laterite, copper ore, iron ore, chromite ore, limestone and more. Thus, when daily operations require elemental analysis of a wide range of inorganic/geological samples, it is often cumbersome, or not possible to setup and maintain a large number of dedicated calibrations to handle such range.  In these cases, a widely applicable, but accurate solution is highly desirable. In this application note we demonstrate Malvern Panalytical’s unique solution WROXI in combination with Epsilon 4 and Leneo sample preparation, is capable to handle a wide range of sample types. This is the value-added offerings by Malvern Panalytical to enhance precision elemental analysis, by way of in-house affordable traceability guaranteed CRMs.

WROXI solution

The WROXI BASE application module comprises 15 synthetic multi-elements standards, containing in total 11 different inorganic oxides. Made from traceable compounds WROXI is a primary analytical solution. The standards are delivered as powders to be prepared as fused beads on-site, using the customer’s flux, dilution ratios and methodology. Each set of WROXI standards is supplied with 15 bottles containing 10 g of powdered standards each, packed under nitrogen, in air-tight plastic bottles. Each set is supplied with drift monitors to maintain the application.  WROXI offers good calibration especially when doing shipment of ores and exploration thus following tolerance and penalty elements. It eliminates the use of different calibration in every ores and provides good accuracy and repeatability.

Instrumentation

A Claisse LeNEO automatic fusion instrument was used to make all the fused glass beads. LeNEO Requiring only an electrical connection and fume exhaust, the LeNEO can prepare glass disks for XRF analysis with high reproducibility. In addition to being easy to use, his fully automatic instrument guarantees safety for the operator as well as superior analytical performance in the laboratory.  Its muffle furnace and excellent insulation properties ensure uniform heating conditions providing excellent repeatability and reproducibility.  40 mm fused beads were produced by mixing 0.9 g of sample material and 9 g of flux (66 % lithium tetraborate / 34 % lithium metaborate). WROXI standards used to set up the calibration were prepared in duplicate. Measurements were performed using a Malvern Panalytical Epsilon 4 EDXRF spectrometer, equipped with a 15W, 50 kV silver anode X-ray tube, a high-resolution SDD30 silicon drift detector, 6 beam filters, a helium purge facility, a sample spinner and a 10-position removable sample changer. Epsilon 4 has an option to use in air mode, no vacuum system and no film consumables. To test the accuracy of the method 12 certified reference materials (CRM) of different geological matrices were prepared as fused beads. The results for the 11 compounds in the CRMs are shown in Table 2. For a wide range of sample types, the measured concentrations show excellent agreement with the certified values.

Calibration results

The calibration was set up using all 15 WROXI standards. The concentration ranges of the 11 compounds in the WROXI standards are shown in Table 1.

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Photo: The Trio® TC84XR cone crusher

Pebbles contain valuable ore but without a crusher capable of processing them, pebbles can end up discarded or stockpiled. Weir Minerals has developed the Trio® TC84XR cone crusher – specifically engineered to perform in the most challenging applications, including pebble crushing.

Pebble crushing is one of the toughest crushing applications on a mine site. Pebbles are rounded and very hard rocks that contain valuable ore. As ore is treated in a tumbling mill (SAG or AG), some rocks are hardened by the process and this hard, round-shaped material is known as pebbles. Without a crusher capable of processing them, pebbles often end up as lost product and are discarded or stockpiled.

However, with the right technology, pebbles can be effectively crushed and the otherwise lost ore can be obtained. The Trio® TC84XR cone crusher has been specifically engineered to perform in the most challenging applications, including pebble crushing.

Unlocking value, driving production

The TC84XR cone crusher from Weir Minerals, quite literally, unlocks value – it transforms what would be a waste product into a saleable one. This is becoming increasingly consequential: as mines are getting deeper and ore is normally becoming harder and more difficult to extract, miners are consequently finding more pebbles. It’s often said that the first stage of mining is done by nature; rock that has been exposed to the elements has already undergone – and is undergoing – a process of erosion. In contrast, rock that’s been locked underground for millennia is harder and more difficult to crush and process.

As well as adding significant value through increased production, the Trio® TC84XR crusher also helps prevent losses by reducing downtime. If pebbles are not properly processed and are, instead, allowed to build up in the mill, then they start to reduce processing capacity and can result in catastrophic plant and equipment damage. The Trio® TC84XR crusher’s (and the smaller TC series) unmatched ability when it comes to handling pebbles is one of the reasons why it’s widely regarded as one of the most reliable cone crushers on the market. 

Tackling variable feed

You only have to see the Trio® TC84XR machine alongside other cone crushers to appreciate just how robust it is. It’s 40-50% heavier than similarly sized machines and, as a result, it can process unstable feed and it just keeps on running. When it comes to crushing pebbles, weight really does matter.

The ability of the Trio® TC84XR crusher to handle variable feed and crush pebbles is also partly a result of its large motor; it’s been designed with higher power capability than comparable cone crushers. Ultimately, this translates to a higher potential crushing force and therefore increase in production.

Another feature that allows it to handle variable feed, as well as deal safely, is the fully-automated tramp-release and setting recovery system. Tramp material is metallic scrap that accidentally finds its way into the crusher; it has the potential to damage equipment and lead to stoppages. The tramp release hydraulics can also be used to safely clear the crushing chamber should a sudden disruption in plant power cause a shut-down of the cone crusher.

The tight closed side setting (CSS) of the TRIO® TC84XR crusher is also crucial in enhancing its pebble crushing capabilities. The CSS defines the maximum product size and has a significant effect on crusher capacity and crusher liner wear. Trio® TC series cone crushers can be operated at a small CSS, 10 to 12 mm can be seen as a recommended operational setting for effective pebble crushing. Sometimes and in some applications, we can even go smaller, but this is dependent on the material characteristics and needs to be judged on a case-by-case basis.

The TC84XR crusher also has very high clamp pressure, which holds the adjustment ring in place. Increasing the clamp pressure helps to control the adjustment ring position and deliver a CSS, eliminating bowl creep (i.e. where the bowl begins to move as crushing forces overcome clamping forces).

Global support network

The TRIO® TC84XR cone crusher can also be fitted with ESCO® wear parts, designed with superior ESCO® alloys, they can be custom designed based on your specific requirements. With over 100 years of casting expertise and in-house engineering and metallurgy, ESCO® transforms what was already a robust machine into one that, in the toughest conditions, is unsurpassed.

With on-the-ground staff and service facilities already operating in more than 70 countries, Weir Minerals’ unmatched regional support network ensures product experts are always close to their customers. Contact a Weir Minerals crusher expert today.

For the past six years of operations as a drilling contractor at the Masbate Gold Project (MGP), Quest Exploration Drilling (Philippines), Inc. has reached its goal of 1,000,152 safe manhours with 2,141 days without lost time injury (LTI) as of the day shift of November 12, 2021.

The team has drilled over one million meters during this period.

With an excellent commitment to safety and productive performance, QED started its RC in-pit grade control operations at the mine site in Aroroy, Masbate with a contract signed with MGP’s owner, Filminera Resources Corporation, in 2013.

QED’s achievement is the result of obeying established safety management systems and guiding principles.

In an interview with the Philippine Resources Journal, Wayne Smith, QED’s contract manager at the site, revealed detailed insights behind their safety performance.

Smith explained that team in Masbate has been working together in the past nine years.

“Our Masbate operations is basically run by a close team. We train and grow our employee’s knowledge on safety at work and at home to prevent incidents at all times. This process starts from Day 1 of their employment with QED,” Smith said.

Describing QED’s Safety Culture

At QED, everyone understands that a safe operation comes with hard work. Having the need to create a safe work culture requires effort from all team members. Through the commitment of the management, supervisors, and site safety personnel, coaching and mentoring became an integral part of daily routine for the Masbate team.

“We have to refresh and remind employee’s all the time to continue with our safety culture to make sure we all go home safely each day from work. The same mindset applies with safety outside of work as well,” Smith explained.

The pandemic has extended safety protocols to the households of each member of the Masbate team. Like in the past, the management has constantly reminded employees to practice what they learned from their training when they are at home, especially during occasions like Christmas breaks where people tend to lower their guard against unsafe practices.

This part of the QED team’s “safety culture” has made dealing with COVID-19 easier. To prevent virus contamination, the movement of people from their homes to the workplace must be regulated. Getting used to safety discipline while at home contributed well to the adaptation process.

Systems-based Approach

Safety as a science is basically a system of establishing control measures. To implement such controls, the team uses a systems-based approach to manage training and to effectively run safety meetings and pre-task risk assessments. The system also includes communicating safe working procedures, inspections, and auditing processes.

“Without these systems being in place, which gives a structure to the relationship between us (as the contractor) and the client, we would not have the control measures in place to prevent accidents from occurring,” Smith said.

With over 50 people on board, QED’s Masbate team has been honed in the last nine years to face a long mine life. “Doing the things we have been taught to do” is a mantra for everyone in the QED management and workforce.

Smith observed that a key element in their success is cultivating professional honesty among each team member. Training won’t work if some people still have the tendency to cover up mistakes, he said.

“If you made a mistake and failed to report or concealed your actions, how would we fix it?” Smith often ask his team.

Maintaining an open communication line between and among members of the team allows the reporting system to smoothly flow.

On the positive side, initiatives that add value to everyday safety performance was not left out. Smith said motivations like giving commendations and rewards is also part of their organizational system.

Photo credit: Mining Journal - Gerard Bond

OceanaGold Corporation is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Gerard Bond as the Company’s new President and Chief Executive Officer effective April 4, 2022. Mr. Bond will also serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Paul Benson, Chairman of the Board, said, “On behalf of the Board of OceanaGold, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Gerard. Following an extensive executive search, we are pleased to have attracted such an accomplished and recognised executive to lead OceanaGold forward. Gerard has demonstrated strong leadership during his career, brings a wealth of commercial and industry experience and has a proven track record of driving performance and delivering on business potential. This appointment marks an exciting new chapter for OceanaGold and the Board is looking forward to working with him to maximise the value of the Company.”

Mr. Bond has extensive experience in global finance and the resources industry and has held numerous senior executive roles across Europe and Australia. Most recently, he was the Finance Director and Chief Financial Officer at Newcrest Mining Limited from January 2012 to January 2022, a period of considerable operational, financial and growth transformation. Prior to joining Newcrest, Mr. Bond was with BHP for over 14 years where he held various senior executive roles in Mergers and Acquisitions, Treasury, as Deputy CFO of the Aluminium business, CFO and then Acting President of the Nickel business, and finally as BHP’s Head of Group Human Resources. Prior to joining BHP, Mr. Bond worked in Corporate Finance for Coopers & Lybrand.

Mr. Bond said, “I am honoured and delighted to join OceanaGold as President and CEO. The Company has an exciting portfolio of assets and growth opportunities. I look forward to working closely with the Board, the leadership team and the workforce to safely and responsibly drive improved operating and financial performance, realise the full potential of the Company’s growth opportunities and to maximise value and returns to shareholders.”

Mr. Scott Sullivan will continue as Acting President and CEO until Mr. Bond’s commencement on April 4, 2022, following which he will revert to his role as Chief Operating Officer and support the leadership transition. Mr Benson added, “The Board wishes to express its sincere gratitude to Scott for serving as our Acting CEO during a challenging period for the Company. Through his extensive technical experience and that of the technical bench strength that now exists in the Company along with Gerard’s appointment as CEO, we are well placed to deliver on our commitments and regain our favoured market position.”

Article courtesy of OceanaGold

Photo: Inside the discharge end of a ball mill being fitted with spiral lifters and rubber grates. Vulco® R67 mill liners last significantly longer and deliver a measurable reduction in mill downtime, installation and maintenance costs.

Vulco® rubber is renowned throughout the mining industry for its exceptional wear life and reliability in mill lining systems. These abrasion- and impact-resistant rubber compounds have been developed with advanced technologies by the Weir Minerals’ team of expert engineers and material scientists who are continually refining Vulco® rubber products to keep them at the forefront of mill lining systems technology.

Having identified a need for higher-wearing rubbers for mill lining systems, the material science experts commenced developing an industry leading, premium-grade rubber compound with superior wear life and performance in mill lining applications. The result was the Vulco® R67 rubber – an optimum material which is manufactured with proprietary new compounds and innovative methods of processing to deliver outstanding wear life and longer uptime.

Extensive field research, compound testing and site trials were conducted to ensure that it was not only able to withstand severe abrasion in typical mill system applications, but that it is best in class. In fact, it has been the most wear-resistant rubber compound that Weir Minerals has ever developed for mill lining applications. The R67 compound boasts a high hardness, elongation, tensile and tear strength, and is suitable for lifter bars, head/shell plates and grates. When it’s utilised in conjunction with metal cap mill liners, the result is a versatile, economical and efficient product that weighs up to 50% less than steel alone. The added benefit is a lighter product that’s faster, easier and safer to install.

Revolutionising wear lining

Since its launch in 2018, many mining operators from around the globe have implemented the R67 compound into their mill lining systems. They have reported as much as 20-40% improvement in wear life, which is resulting in fewer mill lining replacements and longer mill campaigns. This reduction in shutdowns has a dual benefit of increased cost savings and improved plant availability.

What are the benefits for the mill operators?

With a liner that can run significantly longer, operators have experienced a wide range of benefits including:

• Improved wear life
• A measurable reduction in mill downtime
• Increased uptime and processing
• Easier and safer installations
• Reduced maintenance costs

In addition to this, the mines benefit from having an experienced and dedicated team from Weir Minerals who custom-engineer the liners to suit each mill’s unique requirements for optimal wear life.

Global in-field success

The R67 elastomer compound is changing the way mills operate - with exceptional results. Extensive global trials and commercial installations in the market have resulted in a number of successful outcomes across a variety of different grinding applications. From mines in the USA to Chile, the R67 has proven its outstanding performance consistently.

As an example, a high-grade nickel and copper mining project in the USA had a problem where the liners in one ball mill were wearing out too quickly, leading to continued downtime and reduced processing. They were looking for a product significantly superior to the elastomer that they were using. Initially there was reluctance from the mine, as they had loyalty to their original mill supplier, however after Weir Minerals conducted a series of trajectory simulations and discreet modelling - to optimise the design and deliver the best process performance for the mill, they agreed to trial the R67 liners. At the end of the trial the R67 showed 30-40% better performance than the incumbent liners and the customer installed a full set of R67 liners in their mill. 

Another trial in the USA took place in an iron ore mine with several dozen ball mills in operation. Here, Vulco® R67 liners delivered a 17% increase in life compared to the failed shell plates from the mine’s original mill lining system supplier. The company was extremely impressed with the results and installed a complete shell liner in their ball mill.

Moving to Chile, a copper mine was keen to trial the R67 compound to see if they could improve the wear time of a competitor rubber liner. After a three-month trial, all liners were physically measured showing that the Vulco® R67 liners fully worn wear life projected from the actual wear would be 80% longer compared to the incumbent liners.

Another copper processing plant in Chile trialled R67 composite liners in their SAG mill against two other compounds that are commonly used in the industry. After 12 months, there was a 48% and 62% wear life improvement on the other liners – proving that the R67 composite liners could withstand the highly abrasive environment.

Helping customers optimise their process

As leaders in material technology, Weir Minerals are continuously undertaking research and development to provide best-in-class products to mining customers, while helping them improve their bottom line. When using Vulco® R67 rubber compounds, our customers can feel assured they have a market-leading product that is backed by decades of experience, expertise, and proven effectiveness. This innovative rubber compound not only delivers superior physical and viscoelastic properties but is also a lighter and safer material to use.

Where can you find Vulco® R67?

Vulco R67® mill liners are made exclusively at Weir Minerals facilities in North and South America, Australia and South Africa, with plans to expand production into more regions in the future.

Photo credit: Weir Minerals - Accumin™ automatic lubricators being installed at a customer’s site in Australia

The Accumin™ lubrication system has proven itself an efficient way of preventing expensive bearing assembly failures, reducing maintenance downtime and promoting safety by decreasing the amount of manual interface to keep equipment performing.

Accumin™ lubricators automatically deliver even, measured lubricant to the vital points of your Warman® pump. This results in enhanced availability and durability.

“At Weir Minerals, we make the market leading slurry pump for mining applications, but we can’t always control what happens when it gets to site. Between dust, overflow and gland seal leaks, lubrication is a vital tool in the constant battle to keep machinery going. Having an Accumin lubrication system fitted prevents over and under greasing, protects equipment from bearing failures and frees up man hours for more critical tasks,” says Tony Millar, Director, Product Management, Weir Minerals.

“When we offer Weir Minerals equipment with an Accumin lubrication system installed, what we’re really doing is giving that equipment its best shot at a long and productive working life.”

The Accumin™ lubricators are suitable for most grease-lubricated rotating equipment such as Multiflo®, Hazleton®, Lewis® and GEHO® pumps and Aspir™ centrifuges. And also available for use on valves, including Isogate® knifegate valves.

Photo: A close-up on life after mining. Agata’s Bae Lawanen Garden features breath-taking and photogenic sunsets every day from its newly installed view deck that is shaped like a marine vessel.

Agata continues to implement effective and sustainable rehabilitation programs that highlight its “Mining and Ecotourism” concept through the successful conversion of its mined-out areas into eco-tourism sites.

Agata may not be the biggest nickel project in the country. But whatever it lacks in size is compensated through innovations, environmental programs, and socio-cultural projects replicated by other companies.

Reforestation and rehabilitation

Agata designed its rehabilitation programs to give equal importance to replanting mined-out areas and protecting existing forests to conserve its natural environment.  The balance between production and protection is essential in sustaining the community’s livelihood and protecting local resources.

Since 2020, Agata has planted about 423,807 seedlings of forest and fruit-bearing trees as well as endemic plant species.  Since the time it commenced exploration, Agata’s reforestation activities have covered a total area of over 440 hectares.  The careful selection of trees and plants was curated by the company as a means to ensure the community’s livelihood at the end of Agata’s mine life.

Nurseries were constructed to house and propagate endemic and bird-feeding tree species as part of the company’s Land Resource Management Program to increase the productivity of mined-out areas.  Its Ligaya Central Nursery has a capacity of 600,000 seedlings, while its satellite nursery has a capacity of 25,000 seedlings and is maintained by its partner community, the Lawigan Farmers and Fisher-folks Association (LAFFA).

Agata also planted some 2,948 Giant Bamboo trees (Kawayan Kiling species) across seven hectares as part of its final rehabilitation and reforestation.  Agata Forester Jesnar Villareal said that bamboo absorbs more carbon dioxide than trees, generates a vast amount of oxygen, and can strongly root itself in the ground – which makes the soil more stable.

Thematic landscapes

Achieving a sustainable environment after mining is the focus of Agata’s vision for the future.  It was the first mining company to adapt thematic landscaping, which is a method of land use management where rehabilitation or revegetation is designed to beautify the area.   

These “Instagrammable” landscapes also showcase the company’s best practices on solid waste management as the ornaments used are made from recycled materials.  One such photo hotspot is the Bae Lawanen Garden found within the admin camp, which has been frequented by visitors prior to the pandemic.

Green innovations

Agata produces its own organic soil fertilizers by using livestock wastes from the company’s own Mabakas Techno Demo Farm.  These organic fertilizers – mixed with kitchen food waste from the company’s mess hall – are recognized as a “soil builder” because of its property to improve soil quality.   Agata also trained local farmers on the production of the organic fertilizers for their own use. 

In addition, the company implements a strong solid waste recycling program that has reprocessed 60% of all collected solid wastes this year alone.  It also created its own rain-fed irrigation system using plastic water bottles as rain catchment and storage, to keep a steady supply of water for its growing plants and trees.

These environmental projects not only reduce the company’s carbon footprint but also help in its reduction of ecological waste.

With the collective support across its ranks and host barangays, Agata cultivates a better and healthier environment for its communities; an enduring testament that – beyond a doubt – there is life after mining.

Taganito HPAL Nickel Corporation (THPAL), a mineral processing plant and a subsidiary of Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd (SMM), officially started its commercial operation of chromite last March 2021 to produce chromite concentrate.

The company decided to commercially extract chromite to be used primarily as a raw material for stainless steel. With the Chromite Recovery Plant of the company, THPAL can now recover chromite simultaneously during the production process of nickel and cobalt mixed sulfides, the first intermediate product of the company.

Chromite has brownish to black-colored mineral and is refined and processed into the intermediate product ferrochrome, widely used as a raw material for stainless steel and other special steels. This can also be used as paint pigment to produce Chrome Yellow for the textile industry, where large amounts of chromium compound as chemical to fix a dye are commonly used.

According to Engr. Rey Prado, head of THPAL Chromite Recovery Plant, “It has been shown that there is an increase of the worldwide demand for chromite from November 2018 and the market is still growing. With this, the company’s target is to produce high quality chromite for quarterly shipment on demand of the customer.”

By efficiently recovering not only nickel and cobalt but also its by-products such as scandium and chromite in THPAL, it will increase the cost competitiveness of its HPAL technology. This will likewise provide new materials for the stainless-steel industry, which is the backbone of the nickel business.

By doing so, SMM’s presence in the global nickel industry through its subsidiary companies will push the realization of its vision of “Becoming the World Leader in the Non-Ferrous Metals Industry” by 2030. This will likewise add value to the low grade ores and increase the contribution of the company to employment generation and to the coffers of the government.

Brief Description of THPAL

Taganito HPAL Nickel Corporation (THPAL) is a mineral processing plant located at Taganito Special Economic Zone, Barangay Taganito, Claver in the province of Surigao del Norte, which employs the highly efficient High Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL) technology to turn low-grade nickel ore into a manufactured intermediate product of high commercial value.

With its estimated cost of 1.6 billion US Dollars, it became one of the largest foreign direct investment projects in the Philippines.

THPAL’s plant is designed to have an annual production of 30,000 metric tons of Nickel and 2,640 metric tons of Cobalt in the form of Ni-Co Mixed Sulfide. This Ni-Co Mixed Sulfide will be exported to Nihama Nickel Refinery in Ehime Prefecture, Japan.

THPAL is likewise the country’s sole producer of scandium – the rarest mineral on earth -- and on April 2021 THPAL started the commercial operation of its Chromite Recovery Plant to produce chromite concentrate.

Photo credit: Schaeffler

As one of the largest rolling bearing manufacturers worldwide, Schaeffler is a partner to all leading manufacturers and companies involved in the mining and processing industry.

Our bearing solutions and services increase the functional reliability and performance of machines and processes. We help our customers reduce their overall costs with our expert technical support and a global distribution network.

In mining and processing, rolling bearings are essential contributors to technological progress. Rough operating and environmental conditions require extremely robust bearings.

More than 100 years of experience in the rolling bearing business and strong customer focus make Schaeffler an excellent choice as a partner.

With our extensive product range, over 225,000 industrial products -- one of the largest in the rolling bearing industry -- together with systems for condition monitoring, mounting services as well as maintenance tools, Schaeffler is able to offer a complete solution to our customers, including applications in the mining and processing industry.

Intensive research and development, as well as constant collaboration with manufacturers and operators, result in high levels of operational reliability for all of our bearing solutions, thereby increasing efficiency.

Schaeffler’s product offerings for the mining and processing industry include spherical roller bearings used for bucket wheel excavators in open pit mining, draglines, dump trucks, conveyor systems, crushers, ball mills, and vibrating screens; tapered roller bearings used in the tunnel boring machines, vertical mills and spherical thrust roller bearings used in shaft drillings, as well as customized bearings for pallet plants, to bearings used in small electric motors and pumps.

Coupled with our state-of-the-art technology, such as condition monitoring solutions, SmartCheck, ProLink, OPTIME and automatic lubricators, we are able to provide a holistic bearing solution, focusing on high reliability in even the toughest ambient conditions, catered to our customer’s demands and requirements.

Photo credit: Sandvik

Combining advanced sensing capabilities, sustainable battery-electric technology and artificial intelligence, the AutoMine Concept vehicle is Sandvik’s future vision for autonomous mining equipment. And it’s already operating in Sandvik’s test mine in Tampere, Finland.

Jussi Puura, digitalization lead at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, is excited about the AutoMine Concept vehicle, and no wonder. “This is essentially the way to the future and Sandvik’s roadmap to get there,” he says. “This shows what a typical piece of mining equipment could look like in 10 or 20 years. And more than that, it’s not just a vision in a slide deck presentation. It’s an existing, physical vehicle actually working down in our test mine.”

His enthusiasm is understandable. In addition to being a cutting-edge battery-electric loader, the AutoMine Concept ve-hicle packs advanced surroundings perception in 3D, mapping technology and artificial intelligence to enable it to adapt and plan its own routes to find the most suitable paths, even in continuously changing environments. Ultimately, it repre-sents a big step towards comprehensively autonomous mining operations.

This shows what a typical piece of mining equipment could look like in 10 or 20 years. It’s an existing, physical vehicle actually working down in our test mine.

The AutoMine Concept vehicle is also a major milestone in Sandvik’s development of the AutoMine and OptiMine so-lutions. Since 2004, these digital systems have supported automated mining operations. The marketplace initially was hesitant to adopt such revolutionary solutions, but the last several years have seen a marked increase in demand. The cur-rent growth rate is strong, including in developing markets such as Africa, India, China and Latin America.

The capabilities of the AutoMine systems have also seen a marked improvement over the years. However, more recently it has become increasingly clear that the next generation of mine automation is coming, and upgrades to the existing plat-form help unlock new, even greater capabilities. This developmental leap could be compared with recent developments in autonomous road vehicles, including innovations such as the Google car, Tesla and others. Also, developing markets and challenging mining conditions in particular require maximum reliability and robustness.

Riku Pulli, president of the Rock Drills and Technologies division at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, reveals more about the breakthrough technologies in the AutoMine Concept vehicle.

“First of all, this vehicle is designed and engineered for automation from the outset,” he says. “The design philosophy of existing fleets is based on a conventional loader, which always includes a cabin, joysticks, pedals and so on.”

Photo credit: RDCL

In-situ measures of seismic data is one of the key inputs in many infrastructure projects across Philippines.

Understanding a project site’s seismic response is key to designing and engineering above ground structures, without it, you are guessing and often overengineering.

There are many ways to gather seismic data, such as Vp and Vs (compressional and shear wave velocities). Surface techniques are commonly deployed as they require no drillholes. However, surface wave data can produce poor results if a site is “noisy” and are highly variable through different collection techniques and processing.

A more direct measure of Vs and Vp is from in-ground, with drill holes. The most utilized method is downhole seismic, which generates a seismic source at surface and receivers are placed in the drill hole to record. This method should have grouted and PVC boreholes, and the holes need to be vertical. Extra drilling time means extra costs.

A PS suspension logger allows for in-ground measures of Vs and Vp conducted from an open drillhole. This allows for rapid data collection immediately after a drillhole is completed. There is no requirement for grouted PVC holes. A PS logger can also work in marine environments allowing data from nearshore and offshore projects like wharfs and reclaimed land developments.

A PS Logger is a robust, reliable, and repeatable seismic tool, which allows data from drillholes, without grouted PVC holes and has a high degree of accuracy producing better results for client’s engineering projects.

Precision Data on Soil and Rock Physical Properties

The PS Logger probe measures P (compression) and S (shear) wave velocities in a single borehole without the need for external energy sources, making it simple and quick to deploy and therefore cost effective, especially when compared to alternative methods.

When combined with bulk density values (from a density log or from core sample tests) small strain moduli (Young’s, Shear and Bulk) can be calculated using simple formulae.

How the PS Logger Works

The PS Logger is a full waveform acoustic probe, designed to measure compressional and shear wave velocities in soils and rock formations. It operates using indirect excitation rather than mode conversion as in a conventional sonic. It can acquire high-resolution P and S wave data in borehole depths of up to 600m. It contains a unique design of powerful hammer source and two receivers, separated by acoustic damping tubes.

To acquire data, the probe is stopped at the required depth and the source is fired under surface command. Firing causes a solenoid-operated shuttle aligned across the borehole axis to strike plates on opposite sides of the probe in turn, setting up a pressure doublet in the surrounding fluid. The resultant fluid motion produces a tube wave at the borehole wall with velocity close to the shear velocity of the formation together with a compressional wave.

As the waves propagate parallel to the borehole axis, they set up corresponding fluid movements that are detected by the two-receiver combination (neutral-buoyancy 3D hydrophone for P waves and horizontally aligned geophone for S waves), allowing the wave velocities to be directly measured. The facility to stack multiple shots and filter the data as in normal seismic data acquisition is included in the operating software.

Key Benefits

The PS Logger works in a single fluid filled borehole, in contrast to cross-hole methods that usually require two or more specially prepared boreholes. The method works in open or grouted plastic cased boreholes and borehole muds generally do not need to be flushed prior to logging, without compromising borehole stability.

The PS Logger is largely unaffected by path affects, which can be problematic for cross-hole methods.

With an integral powerful source, energy delivery is constant throughout the extent of the borehole, independent of borehole depth, giving reliable velocity measurement in hard rock and the slowest of formations. The high vertical resolution (0.5m typical) allows for measurement of thin layers and is not affected by high velocity layers above low velocity layers.

As no external source is required, this makes the system ideal for working offshore on barges, jack-up platforms, and drill ships. As the probe is suspended in the borehole, no clamping to the borehole wall is required, allowing faster acquisition.

The PS logging can be conducted at the end of the drilling alongside any of the full range of conventional logging probes that Robertson Geo offers. The propagated waves are measured in the vertical plane providing the most useful information in anisotropic formations.

When combined with bulk density values, the PS Logger provides a continuous strength profile, especially important when hard layers are encountered and CPT methods "refuse.” The relatively high frequency of the source, when compared to other methods, means that good data can usually be obtained in very noisy environments.

On drill ships where engines, DP thrusters, generators and ancillary equipment contribute to the ambient noise, this is very important. The reversed polarity shear wave measurements provide unambiguous identification of shear wave arrivals.

Drilling Matters

Borehole conditions play a big part in data quality and that is where the drilling personnel should be involved. Rotary drilled boreholes always provide the best data (low rugosity).

The PS Logger can produce good data in boreholes from 65mm to 400mm with the optimum range being from 75mm to 200mm. Inclined boreholes can also be logged providing the tilt is no more than 30⁰ from vertical. Where borehole stability is an issue, the logging is often split into separate runs whereby the drill string is retrieved in stages.

To minimize possible loss of data, close liaison with the drillers, geologists and geotechnical personnel is required to confirm where the potentially unstable layers are (e.g. gravel beds). A shooting plan can then be made whereby the drill string can be withdrawn in stages to provide some open borehole while providing protection for the problematic zones.

Due to the PS Logger’s tolerance to borehole muds, there is little or no preparation required on the borehole. Polymer or Bentonite-based muds can be extremely viscous with the limiting factor being the buoyancy of the probe. Where the use of thick mud fails to provide sufficient borehole stability the borehole can be plastic lined and grouted.

Processing

Full waveforms are recorded digitally at acquisition time across 6 channels (P wave, S wave left & S wave right at the near and far receivers) at a predetermined sample rate as low as 2.5μsec. The sample rate is carefully selected to be as small as possible to provide the best resolution but high enough to capture the arrivals within the listening window. Low pass filters can be applied at acquisition time and digital filters can be applied during or post acquisition.

Using the acquisition software, the waveforms can be displayed, scaled, and filtered to allow for the picking of the first arrivals at each receiver. Automated picking is available but in most cases the arrivals are picked manually by experienced engineers.

While the P wave arrivals are generally simple to pick, the S waves with their typically slow onset and possible superposition over the decaying P waves benefit from an experienced eye to avoid "cycle skipping.” From the receiver separation (1 meter) and the arrival times the velocities are automatically calculated.

Once the arrival times and velocities have been determined, the data is opened in a second program (also supplied with all PS logger systems) that creates and manipulates logs of the data. If a bulk density profile by depth is available, it can be combined with velocities to give the small strain moduli, Young’s, Shear and Bulk and Poisson’s ratio. Finally, all data can be outputted in industry standard LAS format.

From unconsolidated soils to the hardest of rocks, the PS logger gives proven results

Simplicity of deployment combined with a minimum of borehole preparation and the ability to obtain high quality velocity data in unconsolidated formations and hard rocks make the PS Logger a sound economic choice for Geotechnical and Civil Engineers investigating rock strength.