The applications of sensor technology to the mining industry are limitless. Some examples of recent projects in sensor applications have included laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for material identification, fiber-optic based sensors for the sensing of hazardous materials and pollutants, and special imaging systems incorporating acoustic technologies for examining material properties.
Together with the physics resources available at the facility, the mining and industrial technology sector conducts research and development activities on noninvasive, nondestructive examination methods. This is useful for exploration and resource characterization, reducing the environmental impact and costs of exploration, and for developing ways to sense, visualize, interpolate, model, and predict anomalies in front of the mining equipment or during site and material characterization studies. Sensor technology can also make important contributions in material testing during processing and manufacturing. The INL is currently conducting research on sensors applicable to oil and gas, processing, robotics and automation, biomining, and environmental industries.
Featured Projects:
- Laser-Induced Plasma - A Versatile Tool for Chemical Analysis — 86kB PDF
- Application of PGNAA to Phosphate Mining — 72kB PDF
- Development of a Mine Compatible LIBS Instrument for Ore Grading — 54kB PDF
- A Real-Time Geosensing Network for Spatial Modeling of Rockburst fields In a Deep Hard Rock Environment — 18kB PDF
- Contact:
- Robert Neilson, (208) 526-8374, Send E-mail