5 Reasons Small Mines Should Conduct Pit Analysis

Strayos -

For big mines geometric reconciliation, or pit analysis, is a fact of life. They conduct them as often as they would like to maximize safety, compliance, and operational excellence. They have teams and divisions with access to expensive hardware and software all geared towards making the most of their knowledge of the day to day situation of their mines.

Now, pit analysis is faster, easier, and more affordable than ever before. With today's technology a complete pit analysis can be done in minutes. All you need to do is fly a drone and upload the pictures to the software for AI driven analysis.

A proper pit analysis will show you the status of your:

  • haul roads- including width, grade, and slope,
  • berm height and width,
  • floor undulations and pot holes,
  • site progression over time- including cut/fill analysis, and material volume tracking,
  • comparisons of as mined to as planned site details, and
  • Crest and Toe analysis with the heights of your benches, slope and inter-ramp angles.


Measure your road width and categorize based on requirements

But, for those mines and quarries who don't have those kind of resources to dedicate to squeezing every last drop of operational efficiency out of their site, why should they care about performing pit analyses? Because it makes your operations better.

The Most Common Objections We Hear to Implementing a Pit Analysis Workflow:

  • I dont have the man power.
  • I dont want to learn a new product.
  • I dont have time to add another step or interrupt my business.
  • I'm doing just fine without it.
  • I'm too small, I dont need it.

5 reasons a small or midsize mine or quarry should invest in conducting regular Pit Analyses

With a pit anlaysis tool, like the one offered by Strayos, pit analyses are affordable and easy. Another perk? No interference in operations. The drone doesn't care if your guys are working or not, if theres a muckpile or not, they just fly right over and keep taking pictures. The software makes the pit analysis almost entirely automated, so you dont need to worry about adding or training additional workers and it can give you insights and warnings about your site that allow you to...

1. Save Time
How many hours do you spend a week doing menial labor? emailing files, manipulating data, inspecting your site on foot?

  • Reduce Inspection Time- just fly a drone, upload the data and in minutes you can see your entire site and everything on it with centimeter level accuracy. The software will analyze your site for you and notify you of any conditions that do not meet your specifications or that may become a problem- like slope failure predictions or berm heights. No more need to send someone out to walk the site to physically inspect it.
  • No more clicking file after file to manipulate the data, the software does it all for you. Automatically! All you need to do is select how you want to view the data.
  • Real time access for mutiple users. You dont need to send files to anyone or meet up with team members. With cloud based software you are no longer bound to a single workstation or computer. All of your team members can simply log in to see the site status. The drone flier uploads the data and then your entire team can view the results instantly from where ever they are, whenever they want. Read More.
  • Automatic integrations with smart tools and connected devices. Send the files to your connected devices instantly and seamlessly. 1 less thing to do (or forget to do).


Visualize changes to your site based on measurements or compare photogrametric images

2. Increase Profits
How many hours do you spend on tedious tasks? Wouldn't you rather be using those hours to focus your attention to increasing your mine production?

  • Time equals money- the time you save are hours you dont have to pay for.
  • Eliminate lost opportunity costs- those recouped hours can be spent making you more money. Instead of spending hours conducting inspections or sending emails, you can be blasting another bench or selling your product.
  • Save on expenses- pit analyses let you know what you're working with- for example knowing the grades and widths of your haul roads can save fuel costs, tire wear and tear.
  • Improve cycle time- maximize you equipment and reduce down time by optimizing placement and operation.


Integrate truck sensor data to optimize road design:

3. Work Smarter
Not knowing where you are loosing money is worse than wasting money. At least when you waste it you know where it went and how to avoid the expense again. If your books aren't showing the profits they should be, wouldn't you like to know why?

  • Automate the menial tasks so you can spend your time where it matters most.
  • Planning ahead lets you make the most out of your site.
  • Insights that allow you to maximize your operation, rather than just doing what works.
  • Get predictions and warnings about problems before they happen so you can adjust in advance rather than clean up after.

4. Ensure Compliance
Why risk a compliance violation when you don't have to? Forewarned is forearmed.

  • The AI can monitor your slopes, berms, bench height, haul roads and more.
  • If you are out of compliance it will automatically tell you as soon as its detected.
  • The AI will warn you if there's even a risk of a non-compliance developing.


Measure berm heights and categorize based on height

5. Prevent Disasters
Better safe than sorry. How much is an injury or death worth to your business? How about property damage?

  • Monitor your slopes for failure, your berms, your highwalls, and your haul roads.
  • Keep your workers away from risks, let the AI do it.
  • Know immediately if there are any danger zones developing that could impact operations.


Highwall Analysis automatically detects crest and toe and categorizes based on height

With Strayos, pit analysis is so easy you could analyze your site everyday if you wanted to. Just imagine how convenient it would be and the peace of mind you could have.