Issue link: http://resourceworld.uberflip.com/i/937377
F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 1 8 www.resourceworld.com 53 AERO GEOMETRICS LTD. has been providing various Geomatics services for many years that involve various photographic surveys such as satellite imagery, ground and aerial surveys, terrestrial laser scanning, 3D digital mapping, orthophotos and aerial LiDAR. These services are used by the mining and construction industries, gov- ernments, police agencies for forensic studies in accident and crime reconstruction as well as inventory calculations for mineral com- modities; however, it was a recent assignment that proved to be especially interesting. Ron Coombes, President and CEO of Providence Gold Mines, called up Tim Daly, President of Aero Geometrics, and engaged them to utilize its 3D LiDAR photo technology for underground mapping of its newly-acquired, old gold mine in northern California. As can be seen by the accompanying image of under- ground workings, the results were stunning. Not only were the tunnels and rocks shown in complete clarity – even through the grunge on the walls – the survey was accurate down to less than 2 mm throughout the many levels. In the past, geologists used a clipboard and a measuring tape. Now 3D LiDAR has taken underground geologic mapping a quantum leap for- ward. Since the several hundred LiDAR setups on all the mining levels are mathematically connected to each other, it is possible to create a 3D geologic model of the entire mine that shows the veins, faults, dikes and other features. A geologist would still be needed to identify rock types. In an interview, Tim Daly told Resource World, "We used the most advanced laser scanner on the market – the Zoller+Frohlich Imager ® 5016 that is built in Germany. Ron's geologist thought it would be a good idea to know where the underground workings are in relation to the real world when they go drilling. This is a hundred-something year old mine with about a mile in tunnels of different shapes." Tim added, "Now the company can visualize the mine on their desktop and save a lot of time and guess work without having to go in there and measure by hand. Crude measurements are just local coordinates that can't be related to where something might start and end and where the old time miners were trying to follow the veins. Tim said the 3D LiDAR technology is not yet widely used for this application; however, he expects it to catch on in the future. n A 3D LiDAR view of one of the underground workings at the old Providence gold mine in California. Photo courtesy Aero Geometrics Ltd. MINING 3D LiDAR produces stunning underground images