Estimating volume of oversized copper ore chunks in an underground mine using a laser scanner and an RGB camera for hammering efficiency assessment

ABSTRACT

In this article, authors attempt to estimate the volume of rock pieces using the laser scanning technique supported by measurements from the RGB camera. Laboratory tests were performed, based on which the error in estimating the size of the fragments was determined based on the available perspectives. With a known estimation error, the volume of the ore chunks was estimated based on data from a single perspective. The presented methodology makes it possible to determine a unital numerical measure to compare Hydraulic Breaker Hammers (HBH) and Lekatech Electric Hammer (LEH) by estimating the energy consumption determined through electric current measurements.

KEYWORDS:

• Oversized material
• rock breaking
• volume estimation
• breaking efficiency
• 3D scan and RGB data fusion

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the company KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. and the authorities and employees of O/ZG Polkowice-Sieroszowice for enabling the performance of underground measurements and their support and assistance in the implementation of this work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This activity has received funding from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, under the Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. This work is supported by EIT RawMaterials GmbH under Framework Partnership Agreement No. 21016 (ECHO: Electrical Computerised Hammering Operator). The project is co-financed by the Polish Ministry of Education and Science within the framework of the program titled International Co-financed Projects.