3D image of mine pit compiled with Sirovision.

New tool for rock mass structure mapping and analysis

SIROVISION™ is a solution to rock mass structure mapping and analysis issues.

• 31 May 2005 | Updated 14 October 2011

• The problem
• The solution

The problem

The behaviour of rock masses is a serious factor in the safety or otherwise of mining and civil engineering projects. Rockfalls are a major hazard, and can have fatal consequences.

Being able to map the structure of a rock mass is crucial to an understanding of its potential behaviour. This understanding can impact positively on safety and efficiency within a mining or civil engineering project.

The prediction of rock mass structure is an important task in mining and construction engineering since the behaviour of rock masses can be controlled by the presence of discontinuities (Hoek & Bray 1994, Hoek & Brown 1994).

Rock mass structure is also an important input to blasting design since rock mass properties largely control blasting performance (Scott 1996).

Mapping of the structure of a rock mass is therefore an essential data source providing mining and civil engineering projects with essential design information. This design information includes descriptions of:

• observed rock mass structure
• physical properties of the rock mass
• inferences about the structure and likely behaviour of the rock mass.

Two important applications of the information provided by mapping are:

• stability analysis (likelihood of rockfall)
• optimisation of blasting based on predicted structure (a more accurate idea of how the rock will behave enables blasting to be done more safely and efficiently).

The mining and construction industries required a fast, reliable method of predicting rock mass structure systems.

Such a system would improve safety and productivity through its application in the determination and analysis of rock mass structure for geological and geotechnical assessment

The solution

The CSIRO-developed SIROVISION™ is an innovative system that changes the way rock mass structure is mapped and analysed. SIROVISION™ uses three-dimensional (3D) imaging which allows higher accuracy of measurement and sampling than that allowed by conventional mapping methods.

SIROVISION™ is a commercial technology that provides:

• 3D imaging of mine pits from digital images
• benches and highwalls
• rapid, safe, low cost geological mapping
• improved geotechnical assessment for increased productivity
• improved safety.

By improving mine design through improved slope stability assessment and increasing the safety and productivity of mining operations through applications such as blast design systems software such as SIROVISION™ is becoming an integral part of mining and construction operations.

The systems can also be used in automation of mining equipment. SIROVISION™ data can be exported directly to Surpac, Vulcan, Datamine and MineSight.

SIROVISION™ is available from CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering and from global resellers, the Surpac Minex Group and Datamine Solutions.

Learn more about CSIRO's research in Mining & Minerals.