Skip to content

Quickly and Safely Mapping our Underground World

Last Updated on 25th April 2022

Creating highly-accurate underground maps for the mining and natural resource sector is one of the most demanding forms of surveying. Most mine environments are hazardous, and mining professionals need to work in tight, enclosed spaces, which are uneven and difficult to access. GPS coverage is, of course, non-existent.

One firm embracing these challenges is Beck Engineering, an Australian mining engineering consultancy specialising in mining and rock mechanics analysis. Beck Engineering need to map mines under intense time constraints using versatile technology which must be adaptable to this tough environment. For this purpose, the company has chosen GeoSLAM’s handheld mobile mapping devices that are compact, portable and deliver a high level of accuracy. With GeoSLAM’s ’go-anywhere’ 3D technology, Beck Engineering has immediate access to invaluable data regarding underground conditions. This time-sensitive information means the company can accurately measure the shape of an excavation or tunnel over time. As a result, tunnels can be faster and better constructed, while being safer and considerably more cost efficient.

The applications of the spatially continuous monitoring data collected by GeoSLAM’s devices are being applied to a wide range of geo-mechanical applications, providing their clients with a previously unattainable insight into rock mass behaviour.

Evan Jones, Senior Rock Mechanics Engineer at Beck Engineering said, “We have continued to use GeoSLAM products as they have proven to be affordable, lightweight and sufficiently robust devices for their application underground. GeoSLAM continue to produce a high-quality device that is at the forefront of practical mobile laser scanning devices.”