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Space technology transfer for mining and minerals industry

31 October 2003

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This image shows CRIS (Crack Identification System) at work in a tunnel in a Canadian mine during a resent test campaign. It uses the ground penetration radar technology originally developed by ESA for investigation of soil structures on other planets. A special antenna has been developed and allows a 3-D representation of the stone surface identifying the location of crack location and depth from several millimetres to a depth of more than one metre below surface.

Credits: RST

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The German company Astro- und Feinwerktechnik Adlershof GmbH has produced new transmitters for Herrenknecht AG mounted on their tunnel boring machine seen above. Every second the transmitters send sound waves into the ground, microphones receive the reflecting signals which are data processed and can visualise important geological changes up to 40 m in front of the rotary shear blade. These innovative transmitters have been developed using the expertise Astro gained during their work for ESA on the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft.

Credits: Herrenknecht AG

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