Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is routinely used in potash mines to image the roof of mining rooms to understand the geology and hazardous conditions that may exist. However, the largest hurdle for GPR acquisition is the deployment of a coupled antenna directly to the roof. Various manual methods have been deployed over the years, including an operator holding a pole-mounted sensor up to the mine back. This was labour-intensive and difficult to obtain continuous data, hence a better solution was desired.
In 2012, PotashCorp (now Nutrien) engaged Kinemek to develop a solution that would improve upon an existing design and adapt to a Kubota RTV. Kinemek visited an operating potash mine to learn about the problem first-hand and understand the harsh environment that the solution would need to be designed for.
After the mine visit, Kinemek went to the drawing board. Armed with an understanding of the potash mining environment and feedback from Nutrien, an original solution was developed. The GPR-RTV system consisted of a hydraulic lift, a counterweight arm, and a protective housing for the GPR antenna.
The lightweight aluminum hydraulic lift installs into the Kubota’s front receiver. It was designed to be responsive to quickly change in height, not obstruct a driver’s view of the road, has zero maintenance, and was robust and corrosion resistant. The aluminum counterweight arm was also designed to be portable, lightweight, and mount directly onto the lift’s universal pin. When not deployed, it folds up to be one-third its length so it can fit in the back of the Kubota. To keep the GPR housing against the mine back, an innovative idea was used: creating the arm to be counterweighted with removable counterweights. These weights allowed the housing to float along with a constant force to the mine back. The UHMW polyethylene GPR housing itself was designed to be ultra-tough, wear-resistant, and simply skid along the mine back. Its robust design would withstand impacts from rock bolts, while protecting the sensor. After nearly a decade of service, these housings still protect the GPR antennas from rock bolts penetrating the housings.
As Kinemek’s GPR-RTV prototype design was a success, Nutrien proceeded to deploy a unit at each operating site. These GPR-RTV systems are still an important tool in a spectrum of ground-control tools that Nutrien used to ensure safe production at its sites.
