Extensometers for Mining

Extensometers for Mining

Purpose-built extensometers are a valuable safety and productivity tool for mining.

Monitoring the behavior, stability and movement of soil deposits and rock masses within underground mines is of utmost importance for the maintenance of continuous productivity and to ensure the safety and security of personnel and equipment within the mine.

To perform this monitoring, several types of geotechnical instrumentation devices are commonly deployed within most modern underground mines. One of the key types of monitoring instrument used for this purpose is the extensometer, specifically the borehole extensometer. An increasing trend is to link these extensometers to a central monitoring and control system, making data quickly and easily available.

At Mine Design Technologies (MDT), we design and manufacture borehole extensometers for mining applications that are robust, accurate, and easy to install.

Purpose-built extensometers for mining use can be used to monitor:

  • Convergence in mine tunnels
  • Subsidence above tunnels, stopes/rooms, and other open areas of the underground mine
  • Settlement in foundations, embankments and areas within or adjacent to excavations
  • Consolidation occurring in soil underneath tunnels, embankments and other parts of the mine where there is significant downward pressure
  • Compression of piles and pillars, and the soil underneath them
  • The spread and shifting of embankments
  • General movement in the sides and roofs of tunnels and shafts, and the rock masses and soil deposits adjacent to them.

One of our signature products is the SMART MPBX, a compact, light, flexible borehole extensometer. The SMART MPBX is durable and easy to install and can simultaneously read data from up to six reference/anchor points, making it the best choice when it comes to extensometers for mining monitoring and management.

Click here to find out more about the SMART MPBX and other extensometers for mining use manufactured and supplied by MDT.


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