Abstract: A system 10 for controlling a drilling operation by a drill rig 12 includes a receiver 16 for receiving sensed data related to the drilling operation. A processor 18 is in communication with the receiver 16, the processor 18 processing the sensed data to estimate at least one geological property of interest of a zone 20 in which the drill rig 12 is active. The processor 18 is configured to operate as a decision engine 22 to optimize the drilling operation automatically by changing at least one drilling related parameter during the drilling operation based on the at least one geological property of interest.

Abstract: A system for detecting the presence of a rail end in a rail of a railway track includes a support structure mountable to a component of a rail vehicle. At least one magnetic field generator is carried by the support structure to generate a remanent magnetic field in the rail. A sensor arrangement is carried by the support structure in spaced relationship to the magnetic field generator to detect magnetic flux leakage associated with the remanent magnetic field. The sensor arrangement includes at least one pair of longitudinally spaced sensors, each sensor generating a measured signal based on the magnetic flux leakage detected by that sensor. A signal processing module is responsive to the measured signals to calculate a differential signal from the measured signals of the sensors of the at least one pair of sensors. The differential signal is indicative of the presence of a rail end in the rail.

Abstract: A system for drilling to a position relative to a geological boundary in a geological formation includes a sensor pack for sensing parameters associated with a drilling operation carried out in the geological formation by a drill. A data storage module stores a geological model of the geological formation and data relating to the sensed parameters, including data relating to the geological boundary. A processor module monitors the drilling operation using the sensed parameters data to locate the position of a drill bit of the drill in the geological formation and its corresponding position within the geological model. The processor module generates an end point at a defined position relative to the geological boundary. A drill controller communicates with the processor module, the drill controller controlling operation of the drill to cause the drill to cease drilling when the end point has been reached.

Abstract: A system 10 for controlling a drilling operation by a drill rig 12 includes a receiver 16 for receiving sensed data related to the drilling operation. A processor 18 is in communication with the receiver 16, the processor 18 processing the sensed data to estimate at least one geological property of interest of a zone 20 in which the drill rig 12 is active. The processor 18 is configured to operate as a decision engine 22 to optimize the drilling operation automatically by changing at least one drilling related parameter during the drilling operation based on the at least one geological property of interest.

Abstract: A system 10 for controlling operation of a vehicle 12 in a defined area 14 includes a perimeter 16 defining a boundary of the defined area 14. A user interface 18 is provided for at least one of controlling and monitoring movement of the vehicle 12 as it traverses the area 14 and monitoring the location of the vehicle 12 relative to the perimeter 16. The system 10 further includes a controller 26 to which the vehicle 12 is responsive, the vehicle 12 having a plurality of modes of operation, one of which is an autonomous mode and another of which is an operator controlled mode. The controller 26 is operative, when the vehicle 12 is operating in the autonomous mode and the vehicle comes within a predetermined range of the perimeter, to inhibit the vehicle 12 from crossing the perimeter 16 and, when the vehicle 12 is operating in the operator controlled mode or is converted from autonomous mode to operator controlled mode, to permit the vehicle 12 to cross the perimeter 16 under control of the operator.

Abstract: A vehicle operating system (10) for controlling operation of a vehicle (12) in an area (26) in which a safe working area (SWA) (30) is demarcated includes a periphery generator module (22) for generating a periphery of a zone of interest about the vehicle (12) and to output zone data. A scanning arrangement (36) is mountable to the vehicle (12) for scanning a region about the vehicle (12), including the zone of interest, for obstacles, the scanning arrangement (36) outputting obstacle data. A processing module (20) is responsive to the zone data, the obstacle data and SWA data relating to the SWA (30) to determine if a detected obstacle is within both the SWA (30) and the zone of interest. The processing module (20) causes action to be taken regarding further traversal of the area (26) by the vehicle (12) depending on whether or not both conditions are satisfied.

Abstract: A surveying system 10 includes a data storage system 12 containing survey data defining a terrain model 14 of a region 16. A processor module 18 is configured to interrogate the data storage system 12 automatically to assess characteristics of the survey data to determine whether or not the survey data require updating and to provide instructions automatically to scanning equipment 26, 28 to scan the region 16 to provide updated survey data to the processor module 18 to enable the processor module 18 to update the terrain model 14.

Abstract: A system for detecting the presence of a rail end in a rail of a railway track includes a support structure mountable to a component of a rail vehicle. At least one magnetic field generator is carried by the support structure to generate a remanent magnetic field in the rail. A sensor arrangement is carried by the support structure in spaced relationship to the magnetic field generator to detect magnetic flux leakage associated with the remanent magnetic field. The sensor arrangement includes at least one pair of longitudinally spaced sensors, each sensor generating a measured signal based on the magnetic flux leakage detected by that sensor. A signal processing module is responsive to the measured signals to calculate a differential signal from the measured signals of the sensors of the at least one pair of sensors. The differential signal is indicative of the presence of a rail end in the rail.

Abstract: A system 10 for controlling operation of a vehicle 12 in a defined area 14 includes a perimeter 16 defining a boundary of the defined area 14. A user interface 18 is provided for at least one of controlling and monitoring movement of the vehicle 12 as it traverses the area 14 and monitoring the location of the vehicle 12 relative to the perimeter 16. The system 10 further includes a controller 26 to which the vehicle 12 is responsive, the vehicle 12 having a plurality of modes of operation, one of which is an autonomous mode and another of which is an operator controlled mode. The controller 26 is operative, when the vehicle 12 is operating in the autonomous mode and the vehicle comes within a predetermined range of the perimeter, to inhibit the vehicle 12 from crossing the perimeter 16 and, when the vehicle 12 is operating in the operator controlled mode or is converted from autonomous mode to operator controlled mode, to permit the vehicle 12 to cross the perimeter 16 under control of the operator.

Abstract: A system (10) for controlling a drilling operation by a drill rig (12) includes a receiver (16) for receiving sensed data related to the drilling operation. A processor (18) is in communication with the receiver (16), the processor (18) processing the sensed data to estimate at least one geological property of interest of a zone (20) in which the drill rig (12) is active. The processor (18) is configured to operate as a decision engine (22) to optimize the drilling operation automatically by changing at least one drilling related parameter during the drilling operation based on the at least one geological property of interest.

Abstract: This disclosure concerns a graphical display (400) of operational data of a moving mining machine (140). A processor (114) receives terrain information (300) and operational data (500) of the mining machine (140). The operational data (500) is based on the response of the mining machine (140) to terrain variations at the respective geographical locations. The processor (114) generates a display comprising a terrain image (402) and a graphical trail (406) representing the travel path on the terrain image (402) based on the operational data. The appearance of the trail (406) is variable along the trail and based on variations in the operational data. The trail (406) in the display (400) is aligned with the terrain image (402) and a user of the display can visually correlate a change in operational data with a geographical location in the terrain.

Abstract: A vehicle operating system (10) for controlling operation of a vehicle (12) in an area (26) in which a safe working area (SWA) (30) is demarcated includes a periphery generator module (22) for generating a periphery of a zone of interest about the vehicle (12) and to output zone data. A scanning arrangement (36) is mountable to the vehicle (12) for scanning a region about the vehicle (12), including the zone of interest, for obstacles, the scanning arrangement (36) outputting obstacle data. A processing module (20) is responsive to the zone data, the obstacle data and SWA data relating to the SWA (30) to determine if a detected obstacle is within both the SWA (30) and the zone of interest. The processing module (20) causes action to be taken regarding further traversal of the area (26) by the vehicle (12) depending on whether or not both conditions are satisfied.

Abstract: A method of sorting mined material, such as mined ore, is disclosed. The method comprises exposing particles of mined material to radio frequency electromagnetic radiation and heating particles depending on the minerals present in the particles and then thermally analyzing particles exposed to radio frequency electromagnetic radiation to detect temperature differences between particles which indicate differences in the minerals in the particles. The method also comprises sorting the particles on the basis of the results of the thermal analysis.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for sorting mined material, such as mined ore, are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a chamber for exposing fragments of a material to be sorted to electromagnetic radiation, with the chamber comprising an inner wall for fragments to move downwardly and outwardly over from an upper inlet of the chamber to a lower outlet of the chamber. The apparatus also comprises a detection system for assessing one or more than one characteristic of the fragments. The apparatus also comprises a sorting means for separating the fragments into multiple streams in response to the assessment of the detection system.

Abstract: In developing an underground mine a mine shaft 80 is formed by excavating earth and removing excavated material from the shaft 80 by a material transport system comprising skips 36 movable up and down on skip guides within the shaft. Tunnels 82 are launched from a bottom part of shaft 80 by excavating a cavern 81 in which a tunnel boring machine is assembled and operated to bore the tunnels 82. Material from the tunnel excavation is transported from the tunnels via conveyor 87 to the material transport system established within the shaft during formation of the shaft which is operated to transport that material to an earth surface region.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for sorting mined material is based on using a range of options for sensing multiple properties of a mined material on a fragment by fragment basis and then analyzing the multiple types of data and making decisions about the classification of each fragment and then sorting the fragment based on the analysis. The multiple sensing options include the response of the fragments to electromagnetic radiation. Other sensing options may include sensors that look at the response of fragments of a mined material to an acoustic wave or a magnetic field or optical sensors that evaluate texture or other surface characteristics of fragments.

Abstract: A method of block cave mining comprising excavating undercut tunnels (21) at an undercut level; drilling undercut blast holes (25) through the undercut tunnel roofs and setting and detonating explosive charges in those holes to blast rock above the undercut tunnels to initiate the formation of broken rock caverns (26) above the undercut tunnels (21); excavating extraction level tunnels (22) at an extraction level below the undercut level; drilling drawbell blast holes (33) upwardly from the extraction level tunnels at selected drawbell locations toward the broken rock caverns (26) and setting and detonating explosive charges in those holes to blast drawbells (32) through which broken rock falls down into the extraction level tunnels (22); and progressively removing such fallen rock from the drawbell locations through the extraction level tunnels (22); wherein some of the excavation is done mechanically by tunnel boring machinery.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a gravity gradiometer that comprises a detector for detecting a gravity gradient. The detector comprises at least one movable sensing element and that is arranged to generate a signal in response to a change in gravity gradient. The gravity gradiometer also comprises a support structure for supporting the detector in an aircraft and a component that is arranged to reduce transmission of an aircraft acceleration to the detector. The at least one movable sensing element and the support structure together are arranged to reduce an influence of the aircraft acceleration on the signal by a factor of at least 107 when the gravity gradiometer is airborne and exposed to the aircraft acceleration.

Abstract: A surveying system 10 includes a data storage system 12 containing survey data defining a terrain model 14 of a region 16. A processor module 18 is configured to interrogate the data storage system 12 automatically to assess characteristics of the survey data to determine whether or not the survey data require updating and to provide instructions automatically to scanning equipment 26, 28 to scan the region 16 to provide updated survey data to the processor module 18 to enable the processor module 18 to update the terrain model 14.

Abstract: A system 10 for controlling operation of a vehicle 12 in a defined area 14 includes a perimeter 16 defining a boundary of the defined area 14. A user interface 18 is provided for at least one of controlling and monitoring movement of the vehicle 12 as it traverses the area 14 and monitoring the location of the vehicle 12 relative to the perimeter 16. The system 10 further includes a controller 26 to which the vehicle 12 is responsive, the vehicle 12 having a plurality of modes of operation, one of which is an autonomous mode and another of which is an operator controlled mode. The controller 26 is operative, when the vehicle 12 is operating in the autonomous mode and the vehicle comes within a predetermined range of the perimeter, to inhibit the vehicle 12 from crossing the perimeter 16 and, when the vehicle 12 is operating in the operator controlled mode or is converted from autonomous mode to operator controlled mode, to permit the vehicle 12 to cross the perimeter 16 under control of the operator.