Browsing by Author "Rix, Gary M"

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    The development of an ore pass level indicator
    (1990) Rix, Gary M; Downing, B J
    All open cast mines have a limited economic life which is usually dictated ·by the so called economic depth, where the costs of hauling the ore via large diesel trucks becomes prohibitive. A mine that is about to reach its .economic depth is the Finsch mine. In order to prolong its life mining will now take place underground [1.1]. Ore passes, vertical storage shafts, will form the backbone of the new mine. Safe and efficient mining calls for the depth of ore in these ore passes to be monitored accurately [1.2]. This thesis is concerned with the design and construction of such an instrument. The ore pass could in theory propagate a number of waveguide modes. However, with the particular frequency chosen for the instrument reported here, the mode of propagation was the same mode as free-space. A FMCW radar system was designed for this specific application but had the advantage that testing could take place in freespace. Two prototype systems were constructed and tested down the ore pass which proved the instrument concept satisfactorily. The instrument has definite commercial viability.