This white paper explores various surveying technologies used in quarrying, including aerial photography, lidar, total stations, laser scanning, drones, and smartphone apps, and their applications such as volume measurements and mapping. It discusses a comparative study on measuring stockpile volumes using different technologies, highlighting that drone and photogrammetric surveys are as accurate as traditional GPS methods but more cost-effective and safer. The paper concludes that advancements in surveying technology offer significant benefits to quarry operations.

1. SURVEYING
INNOVATIONS IN
QUARRYING
White Paper

3. CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION 4
2. SURVEYING TECHNOLOGIES 5
2.1 Aerial Photography and
Photogrammetry 7
2.2 Aerial LiDAR 8
2.3 Total Stations and GPS 10
2.4 Laser Scanning 11
2.5 Unmanned Aerial Systems 12
2.6 Echo Sounders 14
2.7 Smartphone Apps 15
3. APPLICATIONS 17
3.1 Volumes 18
3.2 Mapping 19
3.3 Planning 21
3.4 Setting Out 22
3.5 Cadastral Surveys 23
3.6 Blasting Surveys 25
3.7 Plant Surveys 26
3.8 Monitoring Surveys 27
4. STOCKPILE VOLUME CALCULATION
RESEARCH 29
4.1 Accuracy 30
4.2 Time Spent on Your Site 33
4.3 Number of Sites per Day 35
4.4 Cost Comparison 37
5. CONCLUSION 39

4. 4
1. INTRODUCTION
Surveying has always been an essential component of successful quarrying in
areas such as planning and monitoring.
In the past two main surveying approaches for quarry applications were used:
ground surveys or aerial surveys using fixed wing aircraft. Today, there are many
more options available along with a broader range of applications.
This paper will discuss three different aspects of surveying technology, namely
the types of surveying technologies available for use in a quarry environment, the
types of applications the surveying technologies are used for and comparative
performance of different surveying technologies in measuring stockpile volumes.

5. 5
2. SURVEYING TECHNOLOGIES
Presently there are many different types of technology that can provide survey
solutions for quarry requirements including:
1. Aerial Photography and Photogrammetry
2. Aerial LiDAR
3. Total Stations and GPS
4. Laser Scanning
5. Unmanned Aerial Systems (drones)
6. Echo Sounders
7. Smartphone Apps

6. SURVEYING HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ESSENTIAL
COMPONENT OF SUCCESSFUL QUARRYING

7. 2.1 Aerial Photography
and Photogrammetry
Aerial photos may be vertical (straight down) or oblique (at an angle to
the ground) and are usually captured from a fixed wing aircraft; however
helicopters may also be used. Aerial images may also be obtained from
satellites. The earliest aerial photos were taken in the 1850s from kites and
balloons and the first photos from an aeroplane for mapping purposes were
taken in 1913.
Photogrammetry refers to the process of recording, interpreting and
measuring from photographic images. The most common applications are
for preparing topographic maps and the production of digital orthophotos.
Topographic maps allow for the determination of volumes and the calculation
of changes in quantities. Three dimensional mapping requires stereo aerial
photographs: vertical photos that overlap (usually by 60%) enabling two
different views of the same ground features.
All photographs are prone to some distortion due to differences in the
depth of field, lens distortions, atmospheric distortions etc. Orthophotos
are photographs with all distortions removed and allow distances, angles,
areas and positions to be measured directly from the photos. For accurate
photogrammetry and orthophotos ground control points are required.
7

8. 8
2.2 Aerial LiDAR
LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging. Essentially the LIDAR scanner
is mounted on an aircraft and it shoots out laser beams towards the Earth and
times how long it takes for the beam to return to the sensor. The information
collected is the distance of each point measured to the sensor together with the
intensity of the return signal.
By combining this information with the position and orientation of the scanner an
accurate and detailed model of the earth’s surface may be obtained.
LiDAR can penetrate vegetation and so can measure the elevation of the Earth’s
surface under trees. The varying intensities of the return signal may also be used
to determine clearances of power lines above vegetation and canopy heights.
Some forms of LiDAR may also be used to measure the earth’s surface under
shallow water.

9. LIDAR CAN MEASURE THE ELEVATION OF
THE EARTH’S SURFACE UNDER TREES

10. 10
2.3 Total Stations and GPS
Traditionally, land surveyors use total stations and GPS to measure points
on the land or to mark out designs onto the earth.
Total stations measure horizontal and vertical angles and distances and store
this information electronically. Distances are measured by shooting infrared
waves from the total station to a prism or reflector. Modern instruments also
use lasers to measure distances without the needing a reflector.
Using trigonometry the 3D coordinates of the point measured is determined.
Each point on a feature may also be assigned a code that describes the
feature. For example toe of bank, edge of concrete. The data measured is
usually downloaded onto a computer in the office for processing and preparing
plans in CAD. The accuracy of coordinates can be down to the mm level.
Survey grade GPS technology is accurate to around ±10mm horizontally and
±20mm vertically. Surveyors require a base GPS receiver and a rover GPS
receiver both communicating with each other to cancel out the errors from
the satellites to get an accurate measurement. GPS rover receivers may
use publicly available base station networks by connecting over the internet.
Each point measured is also assigned a feature code.

11. 11
2.4 Laser Scanning
There are many different types of laser scanners: terrestrial, airborne,
mobile and handheld. For each point, the scanner measures one slope
distance and a horizontal and vertical angle. The collection of the points
measured is called a point cloud.
There are two main types of scanners used in surveying:
1. Time of flight and
2. Phase shift.
Time of flights scanners are also known as laser pulse scanners and use
our knowledge of the speed of light to determine a range. They are long
range scanners (up to several km) but are slower than pulse scanners. Time
of flight scanners measure in the order of 50-100 thousand points per second.
Phase shift scanners compare the phase of the laser transmitted and
received. These scanners are more precise and have higher speeds (up to
one million points per second) but have a shorter range (50-300 metres).
Terrestrial laser scanners may be mobile or static. Static laser scanners
measure points with 3D coordinates and intensity. Some scanners can
also colourise the points to give them true colours. The scanner is set up
on a tripod and it systematically sweeps the area of interest until it has a
complete picture of the visible space. These scanners are particularly useful
in preparing accurate 3D models of existing plant and infrastructure.
Mobile laser scanners are usually mounted on a vehicle and use GPS and
Inertial Measurement Units to control the location of the scanner. These
scanners are commonly used for earthworks volumes and for mapping.

12. 12
2.5 Unmanned Aerial Systems
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s)
with sensors (drones).
The sensors the drones carry may include cameras, GPS, LiDAR and
others. There are a number of regulatory requirements from the Civil
Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to fly a drone for commercial purposes.
Drone Operators need a UAV Operators Certificate, Operations Manual,
Flight Manual and Maintenance Manual.
CASA must give a specific Area Approval for the following:
• to fly above 120 meters (400 feet)
• inside controlled airspace
• within 4.8 km (3 miles) of an aerodrome
• over populated areas.
An area is a populated area if in the event of a fault in the UAV there would
be an unreasonable risk to the life, safety or property of somebody who is in
the area but is not connected with the operation.
Common uses for drones include preparing orthophotos and calculating
approximate volumes.

13. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REGULATORY
REQUIREMENTS TO FLY A DRONE

14. 14
2.6 Echo Sounders
Echo sounders are a type of sonar device. They transmit sound pulses into the
water and time the interval between transmission and receipt of the sound from
which the distance is determined.
Bathymetric surveys determine the depth of dams, lakes, rivers and ocean floors.
Duel frequency echo sounders may also be used to determine the thickness of
sediment on dam or lake floors.

15. 15
2.7 Smartphone Apps
Smartphone apps may use overlapping imagery combined with known
dimensions of objects to determine approximate volumes or approximate
dimensions of features.

16. SMARTPHONE APPS DETERMINE
APPROXIMATE VOLUMES

17. 17
3. APPLICATIONS
Surveys are required for many applications on a quarry site. These
applications include:
1. Volumes
2. Mapping
3. Planning
4. Setting Out
5. Cadastral Surveys
6. Blasting Surveys
7. Plant Surveys
8. Monitoring Surveys

18. 18
Perhaps the most common surveying application in a quarry environment
is volume determination. Volumes may be measured for royalty payment
purposes, resource planning, stripping volume determination, checks on
dredging, dam capacity and stockpile volumes.
Many quarries request surveys at six monthly intervals to determine the
volume of stockpiles. They request this information for auditing, stockpile
management or valuation purposes.
Auditors can use the surveyed volume of the stockpiles to compare the
tonnage of material going over the weighbridge compared to the tonnage
of material being output from the plant, which may be determined using a
conveyor belt scale or a weight belt feeder.
The difference between the tonnages shown at the weighbridge and
at the plant should be contained in the stockpiles. From the surveyed
stockpile volumes, a tonnage may be calculated using the specific
gravity of the material.
Stockpile volumes may be measured by aerial photogrammetry, ground
survey, laser scanning, drones and smart phones.
3.1 Volumes

19. Mapping of a site refers to measuring features on the Earth’s surface in 3D
19
such as tops and toes of batters, changes in ground profile, spot heights,
benches and drainage patterns. Once these ground features are measured then a
3D model of the Earth’s surface can be prepared allowing for volume determination,
engineering design, pit design, haul road design, haul road grade checking and
drainage design.
Other features typically measured in mapping a quarry include man made
features such as buildings, fixed plant, fences, roads, tracks, overhead power
lines and vegetation.
Mapping of whole quarry sites is usually performed by aerial surveying but smaller
areas may be mapped using ground survey or drones.
3.2 Mapping

20. MAPPING OF WHOLE QUARRY SITES IS
USUALLY PERFORMED BY AERIAL SURVEYING

21. 21
An orthophoto (aerial photo with all distortions removed) may be used as a basis
for preparing Safety Management, Traffic Management and Underground
Services plans.
To prepare an Underground Services plan a surveyor using either GPS or total
station will measure the locations of underground services determined by an
underground services locator or ground penetrating radar. These locations are
then plotted on an orthophoto.
3.3 Planning

22. 22
3.4 Setting Out
Any design may be set out on the ground using GPS or total station. Some
examples include new fixed plant, haul roads, benches, stripping limits,
extraction limits, underground services, dredge limits, work authority boundaries
and bench marks.

23. 23
3.5 Cadastral Surveys
Cadastral surveys are surveys that relate to land title boundaries. The title
boundaries may need to be defined and marked on the ground for fencing,
royalty volume calculations or placing structures near the boundaries. Easements
may also need to be marked on the ground to ensure quarrying does not encroach.
Subdivisions of land and the creation and removal of easements are also examples
of cadastral surveys. These surveys are undertaken using GPS or total stations
and must be performed by a registered or licensed surveyor. Sometimes Work
Authority boundaries are related to the title boundaries.

24. CADASTRAL SURVEYS RELATE TO
LAND TITLE BOUNDARIES

25. 25
3.6 Blasting Surveys
Blasting survey are undertaken prior to blasting. The rock face is measured in
detail to determine actual burdens in front of each planned borehole to avoid
excessive burden (vibration, oversize) and insufficient burden causing flyrock or
airblast. A blast hole layout and blast design plan can then be designed based
on the surveyed rock face.
Static or mobile laser scanners are usually used to measure the face profile. The
drill hole pattern may then be set-out using GPS or total stations. After drilling,
the accuracy of the drill holes may be checked using inclinometers and the blast
design may be amended if necessary.

26. 26
3.7 Plant Surveys
To enable the design of new fixed plant where it interfaces with existing plant an
accurate survey of the existing plant is required.
If an accurate 3D model of the existing plant is prepared, it enables plant designers
to design with confidence, ensuring the new design fits, determining the best
installation methodology and helping minimize plant shut-downs. Laser scanners
are the best tools for plant surveys.

27. 27
3.8 Monitoring Surveys
Monitoring surveys are undertaken to measure the movement of objects over
time. Typical examples are dam walls and rock faces.
Targets are usually installed in locations where movement is expected. These
targets are measured weekly, monthly or yearly depending on the risk. Total
stations and GPS are usually the best tools for this.

28. TOTAL STATIONS AND GPS ARE USUALLY
THE BEST TOOLS FOR MONITORING SURVEYS

29. 29
4. STOCKPILE VOLUME
CALCULATION RESEARCH
On 19 June 2014 we measured stockpile volumes at a site in Brooklyn
in Melbourne’s western suburbs. The purpose of this research was to
compare different methods of determining the volume of stockpiles. We used:
• Aerial photogrammetry
• GPS land survey
• Laser scanning
• Drone with a camera
We compared:
1. Accuracy
2. Time spent on site
3. Number of possible different sites to survey per day
4. Cost
The site chosen for the research was a small quarry and materials recycling
facility. The size of the site was 220 metres by 500 metres. Stockpile sizes
ranged from 35m³ to 29,000m³.

30. Conventionally it is assumed by industry that a GPS ground survey is the
30
most accurate.
On this site difference in total volumes between GPS and both the UAV and
photogrammetry was much less than 1%. For common stockpiles with a total
volume of 17,000m³ the differences were less than 15m³.
For both photogrammetry and the drone, individual larger stockpiles averaged
accuracies of 2%.
Laser scanning had poor accuracy for this site. Either a mobile or static scanner can
only measure what is in the line of site so dips, holes or valleys are not measured.
For the common stockpiles measured the scanner gave a 12% greater volume
than the other three methods.
4.1 Accuracy

31. High
Average
Low
GPS
Land
Survey
Mobile
Laser
Scanning
Photo-gram-metry
Drone
ACCURACY

32. Volume Difference to GPS
Stockpile
ID
GPS Laser
Scanning
Photogram-metry
Drone Laser
Scanning
Photogram-metry
Drone
m3 m3 m3 m3 % % %
1 4,349 5,367 4,460 4,426 23.4 2.5 1.8
2 9,346 10,050 9,172 9,298 7.5 -1.9 -5.1
8 121 n/a 130 n/a n/a 7.4 n/a
9 192 n/a 215 n/a n/a 11.9 n/a
25 2,962 n/a 2,980 2,760 n/a 0.6 -6.8
Weighted Average Variance (%) 12.8 0.1 0.0

33. 4.2 Time Spent on Your Site
The time spent on site is important for safety reasons. Obviously the less time
33
surveyors are on site the better from both a safety point of view and to minimise
interruptions to your normal operations. GPS, laser scanning and drone surveys
require site inductions.
To survey the stockpiles on the Brooklyn site the GPS survey would require
three teams working all day.
Mobile laser scanners drive all around site interacting with mobile plant and
other vehicles.
Drone survey also requires a lot of time on site: the operator needs to see the
drone at all times. At the Brooklyn site the drone survey took about two hours
plus two hours of surveying a dense ground control points grid. Drones require
more ground control points than photogrammetry.
For this survey, photogrammetry required zero time on this site. The photo
control points were placed five years previously external to site.

34. 100%
30%
GPS
Land
Survey
Mobile
Laser
Scanning
Photo-gram-metry
Drone
TIME SPENT ON YOUR SITE

35. 35
4.3 Number of Sites per Day
GPS, laser scanning and drone surveys require site inductions and travel time
between sites and time spent on site carrying out the survey. This limits the
amount of sites that can be surveyed in one day.
Photogrammetry allows for surveying up to 12 sites per day, drone and mobile
laser scanning surveys could complete two sites per day, however GPS surveys
require multiple teams just to complete one site in a day.
The amount of time spent measuring stockpiles is also important because on
some sites stockpile volumes can change rapidly. Photogrammetric surveys
allow a snapshot to be taken of stockpiles and all volumes calculated for the
same instant in time.

36. 10
5
1
Drone
GPS
Land
Survey
NUMBER OF SITES PER DAY
Mobile
Laser
Scanning
Photo-gram-metry

37. 37
4.4 Cost Comparison
We estimated the cost for measuring all 26 stockpiles at the Brooklyn site and
for calculating volumes.
The GPS land survey estimate was based on extrapolating the five
stockpiles measured.
Mobile laser scanning cost were estimated based on the equipment hire rates.
Photogrammetry costs were based on our current rates.
Drone costs include actual costs of flying plus extrapolation of the three stockpile
volumes calculated.

38. $6,000
$4,500
GPS
Land
Survey
Mobile
Laser
Scanning
Photo-gram-metry
Drone
$3,000
COST COMPARISON

39. 39
5. CONCLUSION
This paper has discussed some of the surveying technologies available on a
quarry site and some of the different applications of surveying technologies for a
quarry business.
The paper also examined research undertaken by Landair Surveys on different
methods to determine stockpile volumes. The research proved that drone surveys
and photogrammetric surveys are just as accurate as GPS surveys. The research
further showed that photogrammetry was the safest and most cost effective way to
determine the volumes of stockpiles.
Technology can be fast, accurate and bright and shiny, but it is important to know
what to do with the data produced, the limitations of the data and the most efficient
way of satisfying requirements.

40. 1300 130 158
info@landair.com.au
www.landair.com.au