A New Approach to Mine Surveying: KMAruda Tests Its Own Technology
KMAruda, part of the Industrial Metallurgical Holding, is using a laser 3D scanner to survey underground mine workings and surface facilities.
The company is currently testing the technology, whose main purpose is to create detailed digital replicas of both underground mine workings and above-ground facilities. From a stream of 6,000 coordinates per second, the software builds a complete three-dimensional model with an accuracy of 1 to 2 centimeters.
In practice, this allows the mine to monitor the condition of its workings, detect deformation and deviations from design specifications, and quickly calculate the volume of ore extracted, taking into account reserves of ferruginous quartzite containing 33% to 39% iron and concentrate. The technology improves the accuracy of volume calculations by 3% to 5% and refines drilling and blasting parameters for more effective planning.
Testing the New Technology
Importantly, the technology was developed in-house by KMAruda’s own IT professionals. The software for the device is based on simultaneous localization and mapping, or SLAM, scanning technology and has been adapted to the specific requirements of mining operations.
The equipment itself was partially 3D-printed to meet the project’s requirements. Depending on the task and conditions at the site, it can be used in two configurations: as an uncrewed device or as a handheld scanner.
At this stage, the equipment has been tested in several areas: on the lower levels of the Gubkin Mine, at the crushing and beneficiation plant, and at the tailings management facility. Deploying the system would fundamentally transform the way mine surveying supports mining operations. Once the technology proves effective at the site, it is expected to make professionals more productive while substantially reducing labor requirements.
Previously, conventional measurements with a total station required two people working together. A single employee can operate the mobile laser system, and using the equipment does not require highly specialized skills. Over time, regularly comparing three-dimensional models will make it possible to track deformation in mine workings, verify that actual mining operations conform to the design, and gradually build a digital twin of the mine.
Along the Digital Chain
KMAruda already has a related digitalization initiative: a machine vision system was developed for the company to monitor deformation in mine workings and analyze data using artificial intelligence. Similar technology could also be used in open-pit mining, subway construction and railroad infrastructure.
Kuzbassrazrezugol provides an interesting industry example from 2021. That year, the company’s mine surveyors began using portable laser scanners to rapidly capture spatial data. The equipment was also used to help create virtual twins of open-pit coal mines.
Nornickel reported similar developments in 2022, when 16 mobile lidar systems were deployed across all mines in its Norilsk Division. The scanners were used to survey mine workings and mineral stockpiles, calculate volumes of mined material, and plan operations in areas with restricted personnel access.
During the same period, mine surveying teams at Kolmar Management Company’s mining and processing complexes received a laser scanner and an uncrewed aerial vehicle for measurements in underground and open-pit mines.
A year later, Gaisky GOK, the largest mining operation in Russia’s Orenburg Region, deployed two drones and four laser scanners. The equipment can operate either aboard an uncrewed aerial vehicle or in handheld mode.
The KMAruda trial is therefore part of a sustained industry trend: laser scanners are gradually becoming a standard tool for digital mine surveying.
