Evaluation of a ToF Camera for Remote Surveying of Underground Cavities Excavated by Jet Boring
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Authors
Ingram, Carolyn
Marshall, Joshua A.
Date
2016-09-23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Keyword
Underground Mine Construction , Cavity Surveying , ToF Camera , C-ALS® , 3D Point Clouds , Registration , Segmentation , Jet Boring
Alternative Title
Abstract
Cigar Lake is a high-grade uranium deposit, located in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. In order to extract the uranium ore remotely, thus ensuring minimal radiation dose to workers and also to access the ore from stable ground, the Jet Boring System (JBS) was developed by Cameco Corporation. This system uses a high-powered water jet to remotely excavate cavities. Survey data is required to determine the final shape, volume, and location of the cavity for mine planning purposes and construction. This paper provides an overview of the challenges involved in remotely surveying a JBS-mined cavity and studies the potential use of a time-of-flight (ToF) camera for remote cavity surveying. It reports on data collected and analyzed from inside an experimental environment as well as on real data acquired on site from the Cigar Lake and Rabbit Lake mines.