Map Into the Void
Summary
With blasting operations, heavy machinery and a fleet of vehicles all working intensively above a network of unmapped voids, there is an ever-present danger of subsidence and ground collapse at older mine sites. Some mine sites have established dedicated Voids departments which deal exclusively with ongoing mapping and mitigation to ensure continued safety and productivity. Gravity measurements, seismic readings and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) can also contribute to void detection but will often give limited, imprecise information with much room for interpretation. For over a decade, Voids departments on many mines have made extensive use of the Carlson Cavity Auto-scanning Laser System (C-ALS®) to enable an efficient and accurate picture of the often-unknown underground situation. This can be done by manually lowering the probe on its own umbilical cable, or by using a powered winch which can take the weight of the system and make it much easier to recover, especially for longer deployments.