Underground Geotechnical Monitoring Systems

Ramjack Technology Solutions

January 2020
 EASY | SAFE | EFFICIENT | EFFECTIVE

Ramjack Technology Solutions is a specialised, systems

integrator dedicated to operations technology for the mining
industry in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Serving mining clients
through innovative Founded in 2013 on the back of over 50 years in the “real-time”
solutions and services
mining technology space, we fill the gap between original
technology manufacturers and mine operations.

Through our partnerships with international technology

manufacturers we provide our mining customers with localized
services that guarantee improvements in safety, productivity and
effectiveness using our real-time technology products purpose-
build for the harsh mining environment.
RAMJACK bridges the critical gap between original
technology manufacturers and mine operations
RAMJACK is focused on helping mines solve their immediate challenges
and ensure successful adoption of advanced mining technologies

Mining
Four Offices to facilitate responsiveness in key
Companies
mining markets of EMEA:
 Southern and South Africa (SSA) office in
Johannesburg, South Africa Original RAMJACK Consulting
 West Africa office in Accra, Ghana Technology Technology Houses
 Europe and North Africa are serviced from
Manufacturers Solutions & EPCMs
our office in Barcelona, Spain
Industry
 The Middle East is serviced out of Istanbul, Groups,
Turkey
Universities &
Research
WE ARE LASER FOCUSED
ON ONLY TWO THINGS:
1. Improving Safety
2. Increasing Productivity
IOT – Internet of Things: Unique, world class Mining OTM’s for improved safety and productivity

Tablet based fleet management system. Android

based in cab screen and graphical 2/3D based central
control software. In-hole instrumentation to measure rock movement in
underground and open-pit operations.

Multi-gas, wet bulb, air velocity and

dust sensors. Wireless data to full
Ventilation management systems. Completely eliminate fatigue
with proactive EEG-based
fatigue detection. Manage
fatigue from your control room

Digger-based payload monitoring via

the use of strain gauges and hydraulic
pressure sensors.

Uses the same Leaky Feeder cable as your

analog system. Introduce low and high
Fully-integrated, battery-powered, wireless comms bandwidth LTE data channels to your
direct from the mine face is now possible! existing VHF voice radio system.
Simple, flexible and scalable technology can be a platform for
continuous technology adaptation
Real-time data Programmable
comms from the Alarms & Controls
face

Face Utilization
Reporting &
Optimization
tracking

Vehicle Health
Ventilation Monitoring
Management

This is a Platform for…

Instantaneous Proximity
Emergency … improved safety and productivity Detection &
Evacuation performance through actionable, real-time Warnings
information
Ramjack Geotechnical Monitoring Systems
Underground Pit Slope Stability Tailings
 Lateral Ground Movement  Lateral Ground Movement

 Ground Water Monitoring  Ground Water Monitoring

 Rock Movement Monitoring  Elastic Deformation Monitoring

 Stress Monitoring

 Backfill Monitoring

 Subsidence Monitoring

 Convergence Monitoring  Slope Stability Radars

We create our geotechnical monitoring solutions through the integration of
unique, specialised technologies
RAMJACK’S GEOTECHNICAL MONITORING TECHNOLOGIES

Geotechnical instrumentation; MDT are the industry leaders in monitoring

rock movement instrumentation. MDT is most popular brand of MPBX and
Slough Meters and unique in providing advanced instrumented cable bolts.

Geotechnical Instrumentation; RST are experts in vibrating wire

instruments for ground water and backfill monitoring. RST’s inclinometers
are the preferred instrument by Ramjack customers.

Surface telemetry system; wireless data acquisition to support real-time

remote monitoring of geotechnical and hydrological instruments on surface.

Underground telemetry system; foremost experts environmental

monitoring, Conspec has the widest range of communications options for
gas sensors, controller and geotechnical instruments.
Underground Rock Movement Monitoring System

Mine Design Technologies – a leader in the Conspec Controls – a firm specializing

development and deployment of geotechnical telemetry of Air Quality Sensors, Control Systems
instrumentation designed to function in the and other sensors, based in Toronto, Canada.
most challenging mining environments
MDT SMART Instrument Design
 Miniaturization is key:
• 2” (50.8 mm) to 2¼” (57.2 mm) Ø hole is standard in mining industry
• No special drill required means greater use in active mining zones
• Measurement head fits into hole for maximum protection

 Flexibility in design:
• Research was shaping the way in which cablebolts were being applied
• Needed tools to select from in order to give the engineer a variety of options to suit the problem
 Voltage based:
• Potentiometers are read as a voltage divider (ratiometric)
• Eliminates issues with varying resistances and repaired leadwires
SMART MPBX
 MultiPoint Borehole eXtensometer

 Up to 6 equal anchor points or custom

positions if required

 Common lengths up to 65m, longer upon

request

 Multiple instruments can be stacked in one

borehole to increase resolution

 Displacement lengths from 32.75 to 508mm

 Mechanical design permits mining/blasting

through anchors without data loss
Underground Rock Movement with MBPX
MPBX Installation Process
Step 1: Drill Holes Step 2: Grout Hole 1 Step 3: Grout Hole 2

Step 4: Grout Hole 3 Step 5: Take Zero Reading Step 6: Allow Grout to
Cure and take first reading.
Underground Rock Movement: Reading MBPX Data
MDT SMART Cable Bolt –
Active Support
 Stretch Measurement to Assess
Reinforcement Tension

 Developed during extensive research at

Queen’s University into cable bolt failure
mechanisms

 Measures displacement along entire length

of cable

 Suitable for all types of common ⅝” (18.9

mm) ASTM A416-92 support cable

 A miniature MPBX is constructed inside the

replaced kingwire (central wire) of a 7 strand
cable bolt.
MDT SMART Cable Bolt
Regular Cable SMART
Load Testing
Cable
300

250

200
Load (kN)

150
ASTM A416 Spec.
100 221kN @ 1%
261kN @ rupture
50

0 Hollow “Kingtube” with miniature

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0
6 wire extensometer
Elongation (% or cm/m)
Intersections are most vulnerable

The hydraulic
radius is always
much larger at
intersections.
MDT SMART Cable Bolt Pattern
SMART Cable Bolt - Full Length
MDT SMART Loggers & Manual
Readers
SMART SMART Log3
Reader

SMART Log

 An assortment of automated loggers and

manual readers are available for mines
not requiring real-time data telemetry.
MDT SMART Wireless Loggers
and RTU
SMART
Reader

SMART Link-BLT SMART Link-WiFi

 Get a reading from the instrument using a smart  Connect your MDT Instruments to MineMonitor
phone or tablet. using the WiFi infrastructure already present on
 Battery Powered (lasts up to 5 years) the mine.
 Requires a SMART Line-485  Requires 110/220VAC power.
Underground Stress Monitoring System

Geokon – provides a wide range of instruments Conspec Controls – a firm specializing

for geotechnical and hydrology applications telemetry of Air Quality Sensors, Control Systems
across a anumber of industries (mining, civil, and other sensors, based in Toronto, Canada.
etc).
Underground Stress Monitoring: Instrument Options
• Ground Stress (pop • Push In Pressure • Borehole Pressure
can) Cell (spade) Cell (spoon)
• No grout • Requires non- • Requires non-
• Requires smooth contracting grout contracting grout
wall • Instrument is out
of the hole
Underground Stress Monitoring: Default Option
Borehole Stressmeters (VW) – Geokon 4300
Vibrating Wire Stressmeter:
• Friction mount in borehole up to 30m (100ft) long.
• Measures stress changes in rock.
• High strength steel proving ring wedged tightly
across one diameter.
• Changes in rock stress cause a related change in
the resonant frequency of vibration of the
tensioned wire
Specifications:
• Range in Compression: 35 to 100 MPa
• Range in Tension: 3 MPa
• Resolution: 2 to 140 kPa
• Temperature Range: −20°C to +80°C
• Borehole Diameters:
• 4300EX | 37 to 39 mm
• 4300BX | 59 to 61 mm
• 4300NX | 75 to 77.5 mm
Underground Stress Monitoring

Primary Primary
Underground – Stress Monitoring

Future
location of
crosscut.
Conspec telemetry system
Fiber, Ethernet (PoE), 900Mhz wireless:
Server Client

Ethernet
Optio Gateway Switch

Fiber

PoE 900Mhz
Ethernet Optio Optio Sensor
Switch Gateway
Node
Optio Node
New research and peripheral technologies add even more value to
geotechnical monitoring solutions
THE FUTURE OF GEOTECHNICAL MONITORING

uGPS RapidMapper™; laser based mobile mapping

platform creating rapid point cloud representation of
tunnels and shafts.
It is now possible to map your entire mine in 3D while traveling at
normal operating speeds
Purpose built for underground mines, uGPS is a mining
engineer’s most valuable tool
At normal operating speeds, vast amounts of scan data can be collected in
a short period of time
Use intensity data to visualize rock supports, utilities, geology,
water infiltration and more…
The ability to rapidly align as-built scans to mine coordinates
opens up a variety of applications

https://youtu.be/bt4UBBcumfc
Case Study – Research into change detection
 The right technology combined with the right service & support
model improves knowledge transfer
The RAMJACK Remote Operating Center is the latest integration of system
and skill-sets being introduced by Ramjack Technology Solutions:
As a system integrator and 1. Two-thirds of RAMJACK personnel are formally trained mining
value-add reseller of advanced
technologies, it is critical that professionals (mining engineers, rock mechanics, etc.);
every member of the RAMJACK 2. Over half of the Company have real, field experience having been
team have a vast breadth of
mining technology experience. stationed at mine sites full-time working in operational positions;
3. Over 40% of RAMJACK have worked directly for one (or more) of the
major fleet management suppliers in a variety of technical &
managerial positions;
4. All of RAMJACK’s full time personnel have international work
experience spanning multiple countries in EMEA;
5. All of RAMJACK’s personnel have continuous exposure to ground-
breaking, advanced mining technology manufacturers as part of their
daily function.
 rROC is a full support & knowledge transfer concept providing
both on-site and remote assistance to Mine resources
Based on-site Based in RSA
EXAMPLE STRUCTURE for 24-7-365 RAMJACK at the mine at the rROC
Support for Real-Time System Operations
rROC
Supervisor

Customer
rROC
Mine Resources Application
System
Management 5-6 day per Specialist
Administrator
week roster

Rotating crew
Rotating on-site Dispatchers Rotating rROC Operators
resources to support
operations 24-7-365
A B C D A B C D
 Our system integration solutions cover a wide range of
applications for underground & surface operations in EMEA

Real-time production performance from the face:

• Managing payload, face utilization and production KPIs

On surface and underground, Real-time vehicle health alarms from the face:
across Africa, Europe and the
• Allow for proactive maintenance, rather than reactive
Middle East, mines are exploring
how Ramjack’s solutions can help
Real-time environmental monitoring:
• Ventilation management through air quality monitoring
• Wet-bulb temperature monitoring in real-time

Real-time rock movement & water level alarms:

• Rock engineering instrumentation with real-time alarms

Fatigue management for equipment operators:

• Eliminate fatigue incidents from your operation
For more information, please contact
RAMJACK Technology Solutions

www.ramjacktech.com

[email protected]