Drill & Blast Instrumentation

RESPEC closely collaborates with Carlson Software—the industry leader in quality software solutions for land development professionals in the surveying, civil engineering, mining, and construction fields since 1983—to serve the global mining industry with consultation and implementation services and an expanded line of Carlson products for drill and blast projects. RESPEC represents Carlson in North America and elsewhere by providing training on the Carlson Laser Measurement Devices (LMD) product line as well as testing and selling LMD equipment. Today, Carlson’s comprehensive mine and quarry measurement and mapping tools (both hardware and software) have expanded significantly and are used worldwide by mining professionals.

RESPEC delivers high-performance, precision mapping using Carlson’s reliable world-class systems and sensors for mining in difficult conditions where speed, accuracy, and safety matter. Using Carlson Mine hardware products, RESPEC’s team meets extreme challenges for mapping, surveying, positioning, and measuring for both surface and underground environments.

RESPEC’s Explosives Engineering Team specializes in solving critical drilling and blasting issues safely and effectively. Our dynamic partnership team combines advanced knowledge with innovative technology solutions that support clients and takes full control of the mine site. RESPEC’s integrated technology field services provide mining clients with a holistic understanding of their site, support mine planning decisions, improve safety, and reduce overall mine costs for one-time or ongoing projects.

In consultations for new or existing blasting projects, mining clients benefit from direct access to RESPEC’s highly skilled and experienced team, who specialize in surface- and underground-specific, drill and blast training for drillers, blasters, engineers, and management. We provide on-site training in and demonstrations of the following Carlson Mining product line, which has been developed in over 35 years of fieldwork and widely adopted in the global mining industry for reliability and ease of use.

Blasthole Survey Systems

As drilling and blasting clients know, no borehole is perfect. Boreholes frequently deviate from the intended path and cause problems and cost overruns. Factors contributing to borehole deviation can include the level of driller experience, equipment quality, drill angle, and local geology. Before the Carlson Boretrak (Boretrak) innovation, no highly accurate or easy way to measure deviation existed. Manual and mechanical methods lacked accuracy and produced too little data to be mapped against the drilling plan for comparison. Revealing the precise path of the borehole, RESPEC uses both rodded and cabled variations of the Boretrak system to help mining clients make accurate assessments regarding ore volume.

Even with today’s precision-mining advances, mine and quarry managers may make the mistake of proceeding to blast on the basis of the drilling plan instead of using actual drilling results. If engineering and geotechnical works proceed on the assumption that holes are straight, they typically encounter costly project delays later.

To reduce deviation, error, and costly mistakes, RESPEC uses rodded and cabled Boretrak deviation measurement systems to complete a wide range of drilling-related projects quickly and efficiently. Our professional field team captures highly accurate 3D measurement data needed to make sound on-site decisions quickly and safely. Reliable data from Boretrak also reduce costs for mining clients because employing surveyors or other costly personnel is unnecessary.

The Boretrak borehole-deviation measurement system is a simple-to-use, portable system to measure the deviation of boreholes. Carlson features rodded and cabled versions of the Boretrak system. Rodded Boretrak is the primary workhorse for uphole and downhole operations in areas that are affected by magnetic interference, and the handheld, cabled Boretrak is only used for downhole operations but can cover large areas that are not affected by magnetic interference. Both systems can be carried by one operator. Cabled Boretrak comes in a single PELI ^TM case that weighs less than 5 kilograms (kg) in total.

Both Boretrak products provide an easy way to audit drilling activity accurately and can be used in multiple applications, including quarry and cast blasting, exploration and foundation drilling, dam pinning, construction, piling, and engineering works. Boretrak confirms the actual path of the borehole after drilling. Sites that use preblast borehole-surveying tools report improved site safety, increased productivity, and lower operating costs. Boretrak provides accurate 3D survey data on boreholes and drilling activity and calculates borehole deviation. Boretrak sensors are accurate to ±0.1 degree for reliable data.

Boretrak systems are designed to work reliably in extreme environments. A high degree of dust- and waterproofing is engineered into both the rodded and cabled Boretrak. Boretrak performs reliably and accurately in extreme conditions with wet weather, water-logged ground, submersion, temperature extremes, and sand and dust. For both systems, Boretrak Viewer Software makes quarry operations more efficient by using data from portable and robust laser-scanning systems. The feature-packed Boretrak mobile application makes drilling and blasting safer, faster, and more profitable than ever before.

MORE ABOUT BORETRAK

Carlson LMD Products

Mine and quarry owners need a fast, reliable way of measuring borehole deviation to obtain actual drilling data that saves money on breakage, transport, explosives, and fuel costs. Boretrak can alleviate costly delays on engineering or geotechnical projects and enhance the safety of employees and those living near blast sites. Boretrak can be deployed from ground level or underground sites to safely obtain 3D data that describe drilling activity.

Boretrak works with Carlson’s Quarryman Pro to ensure compliance with quarrying legislation that protects local residents, employees, and property. Measuring borehole deviation mitigates the risks associated with incorrect borehole data, such as fly-rock caused by poorly designed blasts or intersection with underground utilities in engineering works.

By ensuring accurate data for better decision-making on the site, Boretrak’s handheld Control Display Unit interfaces with dedicated PC software and enables users to audit drilled holes and produce reports in minutes. The results can be issued to on-site drillers on an as-needed basis. Improved on-site drilling operations become data led, responsive, and better integrated with Boretrak.

RESPEC uses Boretrak to map entire sites. Boretrak data can easily be georeferenced and related to a local coordinate system. Clients can compare today’s results with historical data and view data from a range of systems—notably Carlson’s Quarryman Pro. Using these precision-mining tools, RESPEC removes guesswork and data gaps.

The dust- and waterproof Boretrak system is rugged and designed for extreme conditions. The portable, lightweight systems, which are designed for use by a single operator, are easy to transport across sites and between locations and easy to deploy. Because boreholes frequently deviate, RESPEC uses Boretrak to increase the success and safety of a blast and minimize risk to the client’s blast plan. Systems are available with wireless control and connectivity to support drilling, blasting, and geotechnical operations where safety, productivity, and profitability are key.

Clients use Carlson Boretrak® systems to:

Avoid borehole deviation, risks, and associated costs.
Work safely and improve an area’s safety.
Improve blasting efficiency.
Survey for exploration and foundation drilling.
Enhance quarry blasting results.
Produce optimum fragmentation.
Control engineering performance.

Carlson Boretrak®2

Carlson’s Boretrak2 was developed as a successor to the well-known Rodded and Cabled Boretrak systems which have had a 35-year product history. The Boretrak2 has 360 degree capabilities and is used to survey drilling activity in any direction for surface and underground mining operations. The Carlson Boretrak2 is a cost-effective, rugged borehole-deviation surveying system that is compact, lightweight, and portable. The unique retractable design of the Boretrak2 further enhances the reliable and versatile probe system that offers significant advantages over previous deployment options. RESPEC uses the Boretrak2 system to confirm the actual path of the borehole after drilling. Boretrak sensors are accurate to ±0.1 degree for reliable data. The Boretrak2 assists to calculate precise burdens and supports safer blasting with fewer fly-rock incidents; reduces secondary breakage; improves crusher throughput; and minimizes environmental impacts, including airblast, noise, and vibrations.

Laser Scanning Systems

Carlson Void Scanner for Cost-Effective Cavity Monitoring

RESPEC helps mining clients access the inaccessible with Carlson’s Void Scanner and real-time, three-dimensional (3D) laser-surveying system. Our drill and blast team uses Void Scanner to enhance project capability, minimize safety risks, and improve site management. With high-speed scanning times, Void Scanner simplifies operations and speeds up decision-making for the client.

As a specialized and ruggedized instrument, Void Scanner uses time-of-flight laser measurements to map the shape, position, and spatial location of voids to ensure the safety of personnel, the protection of stock, and underground sites. Void Scanner data are used to ensure more efficient and profitable mineral extraction. With accurate, up-to-the minute site maps, clients can monitor progress, improve planning, reduce wastage, maximize extraction, and accelerate project timescales.

Featuring multistation project capability, Void Scanner software enables mining clients to scan from multiple locations and view the resulting scans in real time for a complete 3D representation of the site. With a setup time of only 10 minutes, Void Scanner’s simplified operation is quick: unpack the system, connect cables, mount the boom, and start the software. Void Scanner is essential equipment for obtaining daily void volume calculations.

Void Scanner minimizes safety risks with flexible deployment options and wireless communication to a PC via an optional Wi-Fi box. Operators can retreat to a remote position for increased safety and view results during scanning. By comparing the scanned stope with the design data, mining clients use Void Scanner to improve site management with better monitoring and control of ore loss and dilution. Scans also provide a record of daily productivity.

With faster scanning times, Void Scanner speeds up the decision-making process. Each Void Scanner data point has XYZ coordinates to allow accurate georeferencing with the mine’s coordinate system. Scans can be stitched together in real time for an instant visual of the site. With a scan rate of 200 points per second, a horizontal scan extent of 360 degrees, and a vertical scan extent of 270 degrees, the Void Scanner enables users to complete a detailed scan of 1-degree increments in under 12 minutes.

Clients use Carlson Void Scanner to:

Solve underground surveying challenges with versatile deployment and application.
Monitor cavities with intuitive, user-friendly software.
Enhance underground project capabilities with specialized accessories.
Meet extreme conditions with its world-class, engineered, ruggedized product design.

Carlson C-ALS® Borehole-Deployable Laser Scanner for Concealed Cavity and Void Scanning

RESPEC helps mining clients gain access to concealed cavities using the C-ALS (Cavity Auto-scanning Laser System), which is a unique, specialized, underground laser-cavity monitoring system that quickly and safely enables mapping of previously inaccessible parts of mines. The C-ALS cavity monitoring system is used in a wide range of applications where an inaccessible void exists and accurate data are required to monitor excavations, assess risk, or design solutions. C-ALS provides more detailed, accurate data than alternative technologies (e.g., ground-penetrating radar) and is the only borehole-deployable laser solution on the market. With new underground mapping capabilities, C-ALS helps clients scan inaccessible underground workings safely, quickly, and reliably.

Carlson Quarryman® Pro Laser Scanning for Quarry Surveying and Stockpile Monitoring

RESPEC uses the rugged, portable Quarryman Pro as a must-have rock-profiling and laser-scanning and measurement system of choice for mine and quarry clients worldwide. Carlson’s most robust system builds on over 20 years of experience in delivering laser-scanning solutions to the quarrying industry worldwide. Quarryman Pro benefits mining clients with improved worker and environmental safety as a result of accurate data and safer blasts. As a means of process checking, stockpile monitoring, and checking operations for legal compliance, the system also increases profitability by cutting the costs of transport hire, fuel, explosives, and secondary breakage. Quarryman Pro captures the data needed to make decisions that increase productivity, improve postblast workflow, and minimize costs. Quarryman Pro calculates the stockpile volume quickly to produce fast and accurate material stock valuations.

Quarryman Pro is an easy one-man operation with minimal training that offers safe, long- or short-range surveying without using reflectors for blast planning, stockpile measurement, and whole site mapping and provides an excellent return on investment. Datasets are compatible with industry-standard blast-design and mine-mapping software package. Quarryman Pro is robust and has been carefully designed and tested to operate in the toughest conditions. This versatile system offers several applications that gives clients the ability to quickly and simply collect data to support all areas of operation.

Housed in a single PELI^TMcase and weighing only xx kg, Quarryman Pro is portable and easily transported between sites. The scanning unit attaches quickly and securely to its tripod for rapid deployment and use. Quarryman Pro measures and records millions of data points directly to a USB drive and does not require external PDAs or computers in the field for data storage. Users can choose between a manual point-and-shoot mode and an automatic laser-scanning mode (250 points per second). Entire rock faces can be scanned in minutes.

By using the separate Quarryman Viewer software on a laptop or PC, the collected data can be reviewed as a detailed 3D model, which can be edited, analyzed, and exported to specialist packages for blast design or mine survey. The intuitive software for Quarryman allows users to export data into CAD packages to plan for new extraction programs or installations. The data used in Quarryman Pro applications improve efficiency in quarry operations.

New improvements to the latest Quarryman Pro feature a larger, full-color screen for better visibility that is readable in sunlight. Data are now saved to a USB rather than a flashcard for improved data transfer and increased storage. A GPS mount is built into the handle so that the Quarryman Pro can be geo-positioned quickly and easily map point cloud data to other quarry surveys. Carlson has also designed fewer clicks per operation to increase working speed, and an auto-day and time-stamping to file names for quick search and retrieval were added. The operating temperature and processing power of the system have been increased. The new lithium-ion battery is not only lighter but provides a longer scan time. The battery issues a warning when low and shuts down automatically if not recharged; however, the system retains data for retrieval later even if the device shuts down automatically.

Clients use Carlson Quarryman® Pro to:

Increase profitability, productivity and efficiency for quarry operations.
Capture 3D data needed to make better decisions.
Improve worker and environmental safety with safer blasts.
Stockpile monitoring to produce fast and accurate material stock valuations.
Ensure legal compliance.
Improve postblast workflow and minimize costs.

Blasthole Monitoring

RESPEC offers various blast monitoring equipment for sale and service work through our partnership with ShotTrack, an Australian instrumentation manufacturing company. RESPEC provides local support for ShotTrack in North America, including Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Some of the equipment that RESPEC offers through ShotTrack is listed below.

ShotTrack VoD 305 Monitor

The ShotTrack VoD 305 is part of the next generation of Velocity of Detonation (VoD) monitors. This instrument takes the guesswork out of blasting performance issues and gives the user insight into what is really happening when explosive products detonate. Why is measuring the VoD important? The VoD can evaluate the performance of the bulk explosives being used in addition to evaluating the blast as a whole. The measured VoD can also be compared to the VoD specified in manufacturing for post-blast evaluation. Post-blast evaluation of a blast design is carried out with the assumption that the explosives have performed as per the specifications, which may not always be the case. VoD allows for measuring the actual performance in the field compared to the manufacturing specifications of the explosive product.

ShotTrack ViB Monitor

The ShotTrack Vibration (ViB) monitor uses accelerometer technology and high sample rates for capturing key data, such as precise detonation timing. The ViB can be mounted on any axis, which makes the monitor perfect for underground and structural monitoring at mining and construction projects. The ViB systems are fully self-contained vibration monitors designed for far-field, high-sensitivity, low-level vibration applications. The ViB is offered at various monitoring limits that range from 2g to 200g, selectable sample rates of up to 32,000 seconds per second (s/s), GPS pulse-per-second embedded time stamping, and up to 1,000-meter remote wireless control and download. This ViB unit covers many low-level vibration monitoring requirements and analysis.

Drill & Blast Instrumentation