Field Trials - Finland

Underground extraction in Finland:

  • Pyhäsalmi deposit
  • One of the deepest underground mines in Europe
  • At the end of mine life-cycle
  • Integration of high-resolution UAV data with satellite data to monitor slope integrity, both open pits and tailing ponds
  • The GNSS geolocation to ensure the re-user safety

AIM: mineralogical knowledge.

The underground trials are related to tracking of mobile vehicles and personnel.

The Pyhäsalmi mine is an underground mine located in Pyhäjärvi, North Ostrobothnia. It is owned by Canadian First Quantum Minerals Ltd. Ore produced by the Pyhäjärvi mine is excavated at the depth of 1,050 to 1,410 m in the bedrock. The ore contains approximately 3% chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), 4% zinc blend (ZnS) and 66% pyrite (FeS2). Approximately 1.4 tonnes of ore is excavated and processed on an annual basis.

Solution:

  • The integration of high-resolution electromagnetic data from drones together with InSAR and other Copernicus data will significantly enrich the dataset and help to develop safe wide ranging re-use of the mine.
  • The GNSS in-mine geolocation system will help to develop the re-user safety within the vast network underground tunnels, in particular, to prevent personnel entering banned areas and in case of emergencies to help to locate the person(s) in distress.
  • Safety and security may be increased in by monitoring the unauthorized or accidental movement of individuals or vehicles at higher risk areas by drone imagery.
  • Environmental monitoring and controlling may be enhanced remarkably with satellite data providing excellent long-term monitoring of slope integrity, both open pits and tailing ponds, and in general the mine area.

Automated sizing of stockpiles and active areas in operation:

Automated detection of active areas.

Vegetation condition monitoring:

Automated calculation of temperature indicators of waste dumps surface:

  • Land surface temperature evaluation using Landsat-8
  • Land surface temperature downscaling from Landsat-8 OLI/TIR data.

The four tailing ponds (A-D) cover a total area of approx. 150 –ha. The pond C is
currently a water storage pond, D is tailings pond, north part of B is tailings pond
and south part is a pyrite containing tailings pond. The pond A has been reclaimed
already.

Expected outcomes:

  • The GNSS in-mine geolocation system will help to develop the re-user safety within the vast network underground tunnels, in particular to prevent personnel entering banned areas and in case of emergencies to help to locate the person(s) in distress.
  • Safety and security may be increased in by monitoring the unauthorized or accidental movement of individuals or vehicles at higher risk areas by drone imagery.
  • Environmental monitoring and controlling may be enhanced remarkably with satellite data providing excellent long-term monitoring of slope integrity, both open pits and tailing ponds, and in general the mine area.