EXTRACTING MINED ORE, MINERALS OR OTHER MATERIALS USING SENSOR-BASED SORTING

摘要

A method of analyzing minerals received within a mining shovel bucket includes collecting data associated with ore received in the bucket, where the bucket includes at least one active sensor, where the ore includes one or more mineral, and where the ore is within a field of the active sensor. The method further includes determining a content of the minerals using the data, transmitting information relating to the content of the minerals to a decision support system, and sorting or processing the ore based on an output of the decision support system. Collecting data associated with the ores may include generating source signals, applying the source signals to the active sensor, collecting a response from the active sensor, and comparing the response with a reference or threshold. Other features are disclosed.

主权项

1. A mining apparatus comprising:
a chassis; an articulable arm operably coupled to the chassis; a bucket rotatably connected to the arm and defining an interior cavity,
wherein the bucket is configured to receive ore comprising one or more minerals; an electromagnetic sensor system associated with the bucket for collecting data related to the ore,
wherein the electromagnetic sensor system comprises at least one active sensor coupled to the bucket, andwherein the electromagnetic sensor system is configured to:
generate source signals,apply the source signals to the at least one active sensor, andcollect a response to the source signals from the at least one active sensor in the presence of the ore, wherein the response comprises a desired response; and a data analysis system communicatively coupled to the electromagnetic sensor system and configured to:
compare the response of the at least one active sensor in the presence of the ore to the response of at least one reference sensor not in the presence of the ore, andanalyze the data to determine a content of the one or more minerals in the ore; and a decision support system coupled to the data analysis system configured to provide an output related to sorting and processing ore in response to the content of the one or more minerals.