Deploying the Elios 3 for a gold mine survey in Zimbabwe resulted in 90% survey coverage in an area that previously only achieved 50% coverage - a massive improvement for vital data collection.
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Data Coverage The Elios 3’s survey had 90% coverage of the scanning space - compared to 50% with traditional methods, resulting in an immediate 125% improvement for this gold mine’s survey. |
Access The drone required only one point of access, whereas traditional methods require multiple points to take the scan, which slows down the overall surveying process and can have greater safety risks. |
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Safety Thanks to the Elios 3’s remote access, areas that were previously inaccessible could still be scanned without any human risk exposure. The remote access also reduces any climbing or exposure to work at height. |
Speed The Elios 3 completed the mission with just a 7-minute flight without additional access or scans required, vastly improving on the typical time taken for a scan with handheld scanners. |
As mines continue to expand, detailed scans fill in the gaps in new excavations. An accurate stope survey connects underground mine operations to planning teams on the surface by providing up-to-date information about the stope’s size, the volume of ore extracted, and current excavation progress. These surveys are used to strategize mine planning, improve safety standards, and give a clear overview of a stope’s condition.
Stope surveys are not an easy undertaking, requiring detailed laser scans of a huge space that often has limits to access. In addition, the longer it takes to complete a scan, the longer areas of the stope must cease activity while the data is collected. Full scan coverage of a challenging stope can be difficult to achieve, with some traditional methods being as limited as 40% coverage.
GammaTec NDT Solutions was asked to bring a new mine surveying tool - the Elios 3 drone and its surveying payload - to a gold mine in Zimbabwe to test if this solution could offer better results than traditional methods. It did.
GammaTec, based in South Africa, is a leading provider of non-destructive equipment across the wider African region. Backed by 40 years of experience, GammaTec has tailored its product offering to include technology they believe can make the difference in complex NDT and inspection projects - including the Elios 3 solution.
Over the years, GammaTec has successfully used the Elios 3 and its surveying payload at dozens of mines to demonstrate this technology’s prowess, focusing on its value as a means of reaching challenging or inaccessible areas.
Watch now: GammaTec speaks about the role of drones in underground mining
GammaTec’s team was invited to this gold mine in Zimbabwe to scan a narrow stope. Some areas of this stope were inaccessible and the use of handheld or tripod scanners provided limited results. The mine operators had heard of successful missions with the Elios 3 for surveys from other sites and wanted to test its capabilities at their mine.
GammaTec brings the Elios 3 to mines across Africa, showcasing the drone's ease of access beyond safe human reach
As a solution, the Elios 3 and its surveying payload provide unparalleled access without putting people at risk gathering data. The typical applications for the Elios 3 in underground mining projects include volume measurements of stockpiles, stope and ore pass mapping, and inspecting equipment alongside creating scans to track progress.
The key features of the Elios 3 that make it suitable for mine surveys include:
Altogether, the Elios 3 is the perfect data collection tool - while providing remote access to spaces beyond reach. This results in safer, faster, and more cost-efficient operations that far outpace traditional methods. With results of this nature, it’s no wonder that this technology is used by mines around the world.
The GammaTec team was asked to scan the stope at this site with the aim of providing scans for updating surface maps. Some areas of the stope had been marked as inaccessible via traditional means, calling for something new to solve the problem.
The flight with the Elios 3 took just 7 minutes, yet the results were undeniable. The Elios 3’s scan had over 90% coverage of the target area, compared to 40% with the average traditional scan. In addition, the normal scans require multiple points of entry, making the entire process slower with poorer results.
The LiDAR results of the Elios 3 were not the only factor that impressed the mine operators - the visual inspection, particularly the clear videos, provided a detailed report of the scan area. Through the Elios 3’s partner software, Inspector, the mine operators could view the 3D data and visual feed side-by-side, giving a comprehensive view in one workflow. They immediately identified the potential of using the drone to identify blockages and hazards. This is a proven use case for the Elios 3, where at a separate mine the drone solved a 2-month hang-up blockage in 10 minutes.
The LiDAR payload on the Elios 3 makes it possible to digitize areas of a stope that are not safely accesible or even visible from where the pilot is stood
GammaTec was able to deliver the exact results required for this stope survey, far outstripping standard scanning methods. The mine operators were amazed and excited to see how else this technology could be applied at this gold mine.
“We are proud to bring world-class inspection technology to yet another African mine, helping the operations here push beyond traditional limits while keeping safety and data accuracy at the core of how they work,” explained a member of the GammaTec team.
The Elios 3 is the ultimate mining drone, providing a solution that empowers safer and faster operations alongside highly accurate data. Trusted by mines worldwide, including industry giants such as Glencore, the Elios 3 was quick to win over surveyors at this mine. Following the impactful demonstration of drone surveys at this gold mine, GammaTec is eyeing up its next mining mission to continue spreading the word about this transformative solution.
Interested in the Elios 3 solution for your mines? Learn more on our website!