Development of Digital Subterranean Models for Real-Time Open Cut Horizon Control

A reliable coal seam sensing system is required to improve the productivity of selective mining in open-cut mining operations. A prototype system based upon commercial ground penetrating radar equipment, which measures coal thickness from the top of an exposed surface down to an underlying coal-interburden interface and generates digital subterranean models of the subsurface seam boundaries, was developed for this purpose. The models can be deployed to commercially available in-cab assistive guidance systems for bulldozers and other mining machinery in existing production processes, and can further contribute to the databases required for remote operation and control in a complete digital mine scenario. The system was evaluated at a production open cut coal mine in Queensland, Australia, with promising results. The benefits reported by operational personnel who evaluated the digital surface model in the mining environment provide strong motivation for ongoing technology development.