The Critical Need for Precision Mining
Gold mining operates on razor-thin margins of error. When working to extract high-value ore from narrow veins, often only two to four feet thick, high accuracy is essential. Traditional methods have been too slow and imprecise for this task, leading to massive financial losses and inefficiency. Mine Vision Systems (MVS) recognized this fundamental problem and developed the Face Capture system to transform mining into a smarter, safer, and data-driven process, ensuring miners hit their targets every time.
The Challenge: Low Accuracy and High Costs in Gold Extraction
The gold mining industry spends significant time exploring and researching ore bodies. However, historical methods presented critical operational flaws:
Loss of Value: Miscalculating placement by a mere one to two feet meant potentially losing half of the accessible gold in the vein.
Inefficient Processes: The existing methods for exploration were typically slow, paper-based, or reliant on very basic 3D mapping, making the difficult underground environment even more expensive and tedious to work in.
Harsh Environment Requirement: Any technological solution had to be rugged enough to survive the extreme shock, dirt, and dampness of underground tunnels while still providing real-time, actionable data.
Mine Vision Systems and Ouster at Coeur Kenington Mine, Juneau Alaska
"Most of our customers are seeing seven figures of impact within the first 12 months of the system's use."
Mine Vision's sensor-fused "FaceCapture" system
The Solution: Real-Time Sensor Fusion with Ouster Lidar
MVS's solution, the Face Capture system, relies on sensor fusion combining camera imaging with highly precise 3D data to provide a real-time model of the mining environment. This allows for immediate, accurate placement guidance. The system enables users to collect and use information in real time at the surface underground, significantly speeding up the round-by-round mining process. To achieve the required precision and ruggedness, MVS partnered with Ouster. Ouster provided the indispensable rugged lidar sensor capable of withstanding the demanding conditions of the mine. The Ouster lidar is essential for core MVS processes, including precise 3D mapping and geo-referencing to accurately locate ore bodies and sample points, as well as the creation of detailed 3D meshes of the excavation area.
Results: Driving Seven-Figure Impact
The FaceCapture System has delivered substantial economic and operational improvements to Mine Vision’s customers globally. MVS's solution allows miners to be up to at least 50% more accurate in their mining placement, which directly translates to maximizing the gold ounces extracted from the deposit. This precision has led to significant returns on investment, with customers seeing a seven-figure impact in the first 12 months of the system's use, thereby helping to extend mine life and ensure future economic viability. By combining a purpose-built application (MVS FaceCapture) with a rugged, high-performance lidar sensor, the partnership is successfully transforming mining into a data-driven industry that is faster, safer, and more reliable.
Coeur Mine, Kensington Alaska
Gold veins
Performance in rugged environments
Processing extracted gold
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