Method and system for acquiring geological data from a bore hole

Abstract

A system for blast hole data collection for use in a mine site incorporates an instrument configured to acquire geological property data of a blast hole for processing in the system or remotely and a vehicle having a handling system configured to move the instrument into and out of the blast hole as an interchangeable element with a drill string or prior to explosives charging.

1 . A system for blast hole data collection for use in a mine site, the system comprising:
 an instrument configured to acquire geological property data of a blast hole for processing in the system or remotely, and   a vehicle having a handling system configured to move the instrument into and out of the blast hole as an interchangeable element with a drill string or prior to explosives charging.   
     
     
         2 . The system for blast hole data collection as defined in  claim 1  wherein the instrument comprises a tubular body. 
     
     
         3 . The system for blast hole data collection as defined in  claim 2  wherein the instrument includes a hole contact mechanism having a plurality of arms configured to contact the inner circumferential wall of a blast hole at two or more locations. 
     
     
         4 . The system for blast hole data collection as defined in  claim 3  wherein the arms of the hole contact mechanism are equally spaced about the circumference of the tubular body. 
     
     
         5 . The system for blast hole data collection as defined in  claim 4  wherein the contact mechanism is configured to be held in a retracted position parallel a length of the body during lowering of the instrument into the blast hole. 
     
     
         6 . The system for blast hole data collection as defined in  claim 5  wherein the contact mechanism is configured to be released for operation by contact of the instrument with a bottom of the blast hole. 
     
     
         7 . The system for blast hole data collection as defined in  claim 6  wherein the arms are arranged to facilitate measurement of hardness of material forming a wall of the blast hole. 
     
     
         8 . The system for blast hole data collection as defined in  claim 7  wherein the arms are biased into contact with the wall of the blast hole. 
     
     
         9 . The system for blast hole data collection as defined in  claim 2  wherein the tubular body has one or more windows located to align with selected sensors or detectors carried within the tubular body. 
     
     
         10 . The system for blast hole data collection as defined in  claim 1  wherein the vehicle is adapted for autonomous operation. 
     
     
         11 . The system for blast hole data collection as defined in  claim 1  wherein the vehicle comprises a drill rig having a drill tower, the instrument adapted to replace or be added to a drill string supported from the drill tower. 
     
     
         12 . The system for blast hole data collection as defined in  claim 11  wherein the drill tower includes a rotation head, said rotation head adapted to be unpowered or powered with the instrument installed. 
     
     
         13 . The system for blast hole data collection as defined in  claim 1  wherein the vehicle comprises a blast hole charging vehicle or explosives truck. 
     
     
         14 . The system for blast hole data collection as defined in  claim 13  wherein the vehicle includes a handling system having a tower including a winch or ram, or a boom with a pulley and cable winch system. 
     
     
         15 . A method of measuring the geophysical properties of a blast hole, the method comprising the steps of:
 locating the blast hole,   aligning and lowering a geological instrument mounted on a vehicle into said blast hole,   activating said geological instrument to collect the geophysical properties of the blast hole,   collecting said geophysical properties of the blast hole as said instrument is lowered into or removed from the blast hole,   transmitting said geophysical properties from the instrument as data to a data receiver,   said processed data is then provided to a user.   
     
     
         16 . The method as defined in  claim 15  wherein the step of transmitting said geophysical properties from the instrument as data to a data receiver comprises streaming data in real time to the data receiver. 
     
     
         17 . The method as defined in  claim 15  wherein the step of transmitting said geophysical properties from the instrument as data to a data receiver comprises transmitting the data stored on board the instrument after the instrument has been retrieved from the blast hole. 
     
     
         18 . The method as defined in  claim 15  wherein the step of transmitting said geophysical properties from the instrument as data to a data receiver comprises transmitting the data to a data processing system, said data processing system is cloud based, located in a remote control centre or located on board said vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The method as defined in  claim 15  wherein the geological data includes any one, or a combination of any two or more of the following data:
 (a) gamma radiation emitted by material in the blast hole; 
 (b) density of material in the blast hole; 
 (c) reflectivity of electromagnetic radiation; 
 (d) reflectivity of acoustic or ultrasonic waves; 
 (e) magnetic susceptibility of material in the blast hole; 
 (f) electrical resistivity/conductivity/impedance of material in the blast hole; 
 (g) magnetic vector field; 
 (h) blast hole dip; 
 (i) blast hole wall temperature; 
 (j) sonic-wave velocity; 
 (k) contact hardness; 
 (l) blast hole azimuth; 
 (m) blast hole diameter; 
 (n) blast hole profile; 
 (o) blast hole volume; and 
 (p) water depth. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method as defined in  claim 16  further comprising using the geological data, acquired by the instrument at a plurality of depths in the blast hole, in combination with drill rig data to determine the charge profile of explosive materials for the blast hole.