Mining

Campbell Scientific stand-alone data acquisition systems are versatile, rugged, and powerful factors that make them ideal for mining applications. Campbell Scientific has provided instrumentation to surface and underground mining operations worldwide.

Mining Applications include:

Coal and soft rock mining

We have battery-powered, stand-alone measurement systems that can be used where intrinsic safety is not required. Due to a lack of available parts, our MSHA-approved CR10QM and 21XQM systems are no longer available.

Mine ventilation

To help you maintain your ventilation system, our weather stations can continuously monitor barometric pressure, air temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity.

Slope stability

Common parameters measured by our systems include displacement, water level, tilt, soil moisture, and precipitation.

Convergence

Our systems can measure distance, strain, load, in-situ or hydraulic pressure.

Equipment performance

To help you keep your equipment at peak performance, our systems can monitor temperature, pressure, RPM, velocity, power, acceleration, position, torque, and strain.

Water resources

Our data acquisition systems are compatible with many water level and flow sensors. Our systems can also monitor many water quality parameters including discharge, pH, conductivity, temperature, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen.

Mine weather and air quality

Meteorological and air quality parameters measured by our systems include wind speed and direction, air temperature, precipitation, snowfall, barometric pressure, relative humidity, solar, gases, particulates, and atmospheric stability class.

Mining System Benefits

1. Systems measure most commercially available sensors analog, resistive bridge, vibrating wire, 4-20 mA, SDI-12, etc.
2. Geotechnical and mining applications that our systems support include: slope stability, roof control, methane monitoring, air and water quality, and equipment monitoring/ performance.
3. Systems not only measure but control external devices, based on time or measurements.
4. Wireless and hardwire communication options provide real-time reporting.
5. Low unit costs and networking capability allow placement wherever measurements are needed.
6. PC software supports data retrieval, data display, datalogger programming, and override control capability.
7. Low current drain allows operation from batteries and solar panels.

Data Acquisition

The versatility of our systems allows them to be customized for each application. We offer a range of dataloggers from the most basic system with just a few channels, to expandable systems that measure hundreds of channels. Scan rates can be programmed from a few hours to 100,000 times per second, depending on the datalogger model. Measurement types, processing algorithms, and recording intervals are also programmable.

Our systems have powerful on-board instruction sets—simply choose sensor type, scan rate, measurement channel, etc. On-board mathematical and statistical processing allows data reduction in the field and allows measurements to be viewed in the desired units, whether that be microstrain, centimeters per second, revolutions per minute, meters, Amperes, or inches.

Their versatility extends to control as well. Our systems can monitor and control external devices based on time or measured conditions, allowing savings in time and equipment, and possibly preventing, or warning, of dangerous conditions. They are rugged enough to be in use in geotechnical studies and mines world wide.

Our systems are stand-alone. Once programmed and powered, no human or computer interaction is required, although data are typically downloaded to a PC for further analysis. A telecommunications or hardwire link allows data to be monitored and graphed in your office rather than in the field. Data from a number of stations and from a number of applications can be monitored from a single laptop or desktop computer.

The low power drain typically allows our data acquisition systems to be powered by solar panels and batteries. If 110/220 ac power, vehicle power, or external 12 Vdc batteries are available, you can use those as well. Non-volatile data storage and battery-backed clock ensure data capture and integrity.

Sensors

The versatility of our systems begins with sensor compatibility. Our systems can measure virtually every commercially available sensor, allowing them to be used in a variety of ways for a variety of measurements. For example, the CR10X can be used in slope stability, water quality, or equipment performance applications. Typical sensors that can be used include:

• Carlson strain meters
• vibrating wire strain gauges
• foil strain gauges (in quarter, half, or full bridge strain configurations)
• inclinometers
• crack and joint sensors
• tilt sensors
• piezoresistive accelerometers
• piezoelectric accelerometers
• capacitive accelerometers
• borehole accelerometers
• servo force balance accelerometers

Because our dataloggers have many channel types and programmable inputs, all of these sensor types can be measured by one datalogger. Channel types include analog (single-ended and differential), pulse counters, switched excitation, continuous analog output, digital I/O, and anti-aliasing filter. Using switched or continuous excitation channels, our dataloggers provide excitation for ratiometric bridge measurements.

Communications

The availability of multiple communications options for retrieving, storing, and displaying data allows systems to be customized to meet exact needs. On-site communication options include direct connection to a PC or laptop, PC cards, storage modules, and datalogger keyboard/display. Telecommunication options include short-haul, telephone (including voice-synthesized and cellular), radio frequency, multidrop, and satellite.

Mining Measurement Automation Platforms

From an asset management perspective, automated instrumentation enables much more responsive decision-making, allowing for quasi-real-time monitoring. In mining processes, there are many examples of applications of this approach:

Tailings Production—With increasingly stringent legal constraints, mining companies have automated their tailings spigot disposal systems to produce according to the water input reaching the tailings disposal structure reservoirs, ensuring the safe operation of their structures.

Activation of Spillway Structures—Tailings dams have automatic activation systems for spillway structures based on reservoir levels, an excellent measure to eliminate the risk of overtopping.

Automated Instrumentation—Whether crackmeters in underground caverns, inclinometers on open-pit mine slopes, or piezometers installed in tailings piles, automated instruments are becoming more common to obtain quasi-real-time data, thus prioritizing actions pertinent to asset safety management.

Environmental Monitoring—Due to environmental constraints, many weather stations are often installed in remote locations with difficult access. Automated monitoring allows more frequent data collection without site visits.

Slope Stability—Slope movement can be monitored 24/7 for long periods in harsh conditions with instantaneous communication alarms when critical thresholds have been met.

Our platforms' versatility allows them to be customized for each application. We offer a range of platforms, from the most basic device with just a few channels to expandable platforms that measure hundreds of channels. Scan rates can be programmed from once every few hours to 10,000 times per second, depending on the model. Measurement types, processing algorithms, and recording intervals are also programmable.

The measurement automation platform has a simple, yet powerful on-board instruction set. Simply choose the sensor type, scan rate, and measurement channel. On-board mathematical and statistical processing allows data reduction in the field and enables measurements to be viewed in the desired units, whether that is microstrains, centimeters per second, revolutions per minute, meters, Amperes, or inches.

The measurement automation platforms' versatility extends to control as well. Each platform can monitor and control external devices based on time or measured conditions, enabling the design of Emergency Action Plans and Trigger Action Response Plans (TARPs) to warn of—or possibly prevent—dangerous conditions allow time and equipment savings. Campbell Scientific platforms are rugged enough to be used in mining sites worldwide.

The measurement automation platform can stand alone. After it is programmed and powered, no human or computer interaction is required, although data are typically downloaded to a PC or exported to the cloud for further analysis. A telecommunications or hardwire link allows data to be monitored and graphed in your office rather than in the field. Data from various stations and applications can be monitored from a single laptop or desktop computer.

The low power drain typically allows our platforms to be powered by solar panels and batteries. If 110/220-Vac power or external 12-Vdc batteries are available, you can use those as well. Nonvolatile data storage and a battery-backed clock ensure data capture and integrity.

Training

Campbell Scientific offers training courses that can be conducted at your location and customized to meet your specific needs. Hands-on training with our engineers helps ensure your system provides the site condition data you need today and into the future.

Sensors Used for Mining Measurements

Our measurement automation platforms' flexibility begins with sensor compatibility. Our platforms can measure virtually every commercially available sensor, allowing them to be used in different ways for a variety of measurements. For example, the following are common parameters that the sensors in our platforms measure:

• Pore water pressure
• Water level
• Water flow
• Settlement
• Displacement
• Strain
• Stress
• Tilt
• Inclination
• Weight
• Force
• Pressure
• Deflection
• Barometric pressure
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Elevation

More specifically, these are the sensor types commonly used in our measurement automation platforms:

• Piezometers
• Pressure transducers
• Inclinometers
• Tiltmeters
• Settlement sensors
• Borehole pressure cells
• Earth pressure cells
• Load cells
• Pressure cells
• Accelerometers
• Vibrating wire strain gauges
• Foil-bonded strain gauges
• Extensometers
• Jointmeters
• Crackmeters
• Strainmeters
• Deformation meters
• Barometers
• Tilt beams
• Stressmeters
• Thermistors
• Thermocouples
• Deformation sensors
• Sonic water-level sensors
• Displacement transducers
• Linear variable differential transformers (LVDT)

Because our measurement automation platforms have many channel types and programmable inputs, all these sensor types can be measured by one device. Channel types include analog (single-ended and differential), pulse counter, switched excitation, continuous analog output, digital I/O, and anti-aliasing filter. Using switched or continuous excitation channels, our platforms provide excitation for ratiometric bridge measurements.

The following are common sensor measurement types that our measurement automation platforms are compatible with:

• Frequency
• Resistance
• Voltage
• Ratiometric
• Current
• Modbus RTU
• RS-485
• SDI-12
• RS-232

Communications

Multiple communications options are available for retrieving, storing, and displaying data, allowing platforms to be customized to meet your exact needs. Onsite communications options include direct connection to a PC or laptop, PC cards, storage modules, and platform keyboard/display. Telecommunications options include short-haul, telephone (including voice-synthesized and cellular), radio frequency, multidrop, and satellite. A telecommunications or hardwire link allows critical data to be monitored and graphed in your office 24/7 rather than only in the field. Data from various stations and applications can be monitored from a single laptop or desktop computer.