Stepped frequency GPR field trials in potash mines

Separations, which form along stratigraphic clay seams in the roofs of potash mines, pose a serious safety concern. If these separations go undetected they can lead to falls of ground. The current method of identifying the location and extent of these separations is through manual scaling (sounding) using an aluminium rod. The potash mining companies would likte to have a tool, which could quickly and reliably detect these separations and distinguish between separations and clay seams. This paper presents the results of field trials undertaken at various potash mines in SaskatchewanICanada belonging to the member companies of the Saskatchewan Potash Producers Associations. The radar device used for these field trials was RST??s SUSI (Multi Purpose Sub Surface Imager) radar system, which has the ability of working over various bandwidths. Four mines were chosen for these field trials, covering the different geological characteristics encountered in the Saskatchewan potash mines. These field trials indicated that stepped frequency ground penetrating radar technology could be ??tuned?? to identify both separations and clay stratigraphy in the softrock, potash mine environment, based on the different spectral responses of the features.