Mining Applications

Photo 1:  Showing and Orthomosaic
of ore stockpiles at the Pueblo Viejo
gold mined which is owned by
Barick Gold.  Photo obtained from
barrickbeyondborders.com

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles for mining applications is soon to become the dominant method for mine construction and planning.  During a traditional survey, data points must be recorded by hand which requires an individual to climb to the top of stockpiles.  Not only is this dangerous, but it forces production equipment to be shut down until the survey is complete. Using UAV's eliminates risk and improves safety, while saving the company money be allowing production to continue.

Barrick Gold, for example has switched to UAV's because of the plethora of applications it can be used for.  In addition to the use of UAV's for calculating stockpile volumes, drones can be used to optimize haul routes, map steep inclines, aid in pit design, detect erosion, map storm water drainage, and assist in mine reclamation.   The value UAV's in the mining industry is not only found in their versatility, but also in the speed in which data is collected.  A full survey may often takes 30 minutes or less, which means that data can be uploaded to a computer and processed at a much quicker speed than traditional survey techniques.

Photo 2: showing an orthomosaic of one of the pits at the
 Pueblo Viejo gold mine owned by BarrickGold.  Photo obtained
from barrickbeyondborders.com

Lastly, in many situations UAV's are capable of replacing more expensive Lidar surveys that require manned aircraft that can run hundreds of thousands of dollars. When a mine purchases a drone, they are also eliminate recurring fees to hire 3rd parties because the company now has the technology to produce DEM's on their own.