Mine surveying involves the accurate measurement and mapping of mine workings, both on the surface and underground. It is a critical function that ensures safety, supports efficient operations, and ensures legal compliance throughout the mine lifecycle: from exploration and construction to production and final closure/reclamation. 🔍 Key Responsibilities & Functions 1. Exploration & Development · Staking Claims: Precisely demarcating the boundaries of mining leases and claims. · Topographic Mapping: Creating detailed maps of the land surface before any mining begins. · Drill Hole Location: Accurately positioning and surveying drill holes for resource estimation. 2. Operational & Production Phase · Volume Calculation (Volumetrics): Measuring stockpiles of ore and waste material to calculate volumes and tonnages. This is essential for production accounting and reconciliation. · Stakeout and Setout: Marking the location for new infrastructure, roads, ramps, and drill patterns on the ground. · Mine Planning Integration: Providing accurate data for the Mine Planning department to design pits, underground stopes, and waste dumps. 3. Safety & Monitoring · Stability Monitoring: Using specialized equipment to monitor highwalls, pit slopes, tailings dams workings for any movement or deformation that could lead to a collapse. · Avoiding Breaches: Ensuring mining does not accidentally breach into adjacent properties, old workings, or hazardous zones. · Volume of Blasts: Surveying blast holes and calculating the volume of rock to be blasted for precise explosive charging. 🛠️ Technologies Used in Mine Surveying Modern mine surveyors use a suite of advanced technologies: -GNSS (GPS) Provides real-time, highly accurate positioning for surface surveying, vehicle tracking, and machine guidance. -3D Laser Scanning (LiDAR) Creates millions of data points to generate a highly detailed "point cloud" of a pit, stockpile. Ideal for volume calculations and monitoring complex geometries. -Drones (UAVs) Equipped with cameras or LiDAR, drones can quickly and safely survey large or inaccessible areas like open pits, tailings dams, and stockpiles, generating orthomosaics and digital terrain models. -GIS (Geographic Info Systems) The platform for managing, analyzing, and visualizing all spatial data related to the mine site. -Survey & Monitoring Sensors Robotic total stations and radar systems for continuous, automated monitoring of critical slopes and structures. 📊 Deliverables of a Mine Surveyor The work of a mine surveyor results in critical documents and data: · Plans and Maps: Surface plan. · Volume Reports: Monthly reports on ore mined, waste moved, and stockpile inventories. · Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) & 3D Models: Digital representations of the mine's topography and geology. · Geodetic Control Network: A network of precisely located.