Deployment of XRF Sensors Underground: An Opportunity for Grade Monitoring or Bulk Ore Sorting in Cave Mines

Ore grades are monitored regularly in cave mines through drawpoint sampling. Automating grade monitoring deploying X-ray fluorescence (XRF) sensors on the buckets of production loaders has been proposed as an alternative approach to address issues around traditional practice Bucket-mounted can also be employed for bulk ore sorting underground. This study is aimed at evaluating deployment XRF opportunity or caving operations. The mill feed prediction performances sampling program and mine planning software were assessed Cadia East panel mine. results showed that samples underestimated quality during a 10-month investigation period. portions with potential linked extraction level layout estimate number drawpoints where could situated diverting waste. Samples obtained from tested evaluate ability lab-scale proxy bucket-mounted sensor system measure copper gold grades. R-squared values 0.84 0.68 achieved between predicted measured samples, respectively. Sensor test promising revealing utilize Future work encouraged further validate applicability underground mining environment.