Measuring underground face drilling and blasting

Recent developments in hardware and software have made accurate measurement of Underground Face (Development) Drilling a reality. New and compact laser profiling equipment makes it possible to measure drilled material left on the face as well as the actual tracks of the holes drilled in the rounds. Utilization of these available technologies makes it possible to correctly define the drilling accuracy and the blasting pull. Through the use of actual face round measurements, I will show the level of definition and amount of information that can be collected. Information obtained will include tons left on a face after shooting, mucking, and scaling, and percent drilling deviation. The Drilling Deviation is defined as the deviation of the bottom of the hole from its intended location divided by the hole length drilled. The data is obtained with the use of a laser transit to survey the face and the hole collar and boot locations. By using the laser survey method, we can get a very accurate set of location points. The use of the laser survey equipment underground has created a valuable addition to the current drill and blast audits of mining operations. Such audits evaluate a mine's drilling and blasting operations in light of current best practices.