• MOSS (Miner Operated Survey System)

The Miner Operated Survey System (MOSS) is a user-friendly underground surveying software that integrates mine design specifications and drawings when completing markups, and provides real-time information to miners, engineers, and geologists. The software is fully matured and packed with decades of input from industry experts.

Benefits of MOSS:

Mining operations demand strict adherence to mine plans to maximize efficiency and minimize costs. As mining progresses, challenges such as overbreak, underbreak, and deviation from design pose significant financial and productivity risks. Overbreak, as well as damaged zone, significantly impact project costs, construction period, safety, and performance of the underground structures.

 

MOSS is engineered to prioritize optimization to meet the relentless demand of productivity. It is more than just a tool; it is a comprehensive underground solution that demonstrates its return on investment (ROI) instantaneously.

The solution allows for operations, engineering, and geology to remain updated in real-time on all active headings' progress. It allows for immediate response to any discrepancies at the face, drastically reducing the potential for costly and time-consuming rework.

The system has been proven to reduce overbreak by 10-15%, promoting best practices among miners. MOSS provides miners with all required information, allowing for refinement in drilling techniques, maintaining consistency, and adhering closely to design specifications. This immediate feedback system not only enhances the quality of work but fosters greater accountability among miners.

 

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Using MOSS to collect the necessary data is a one-person job, thereby reducing workforce cost while increasing safety by having fewer people in the development heading.

The MOSS software supports a wide range of Leica robotic total stations, including the state-of-the-art MS60 Multi Station. Rather than have a surveyor go underground after each freshly blasted round, MOSS completes the survey pick up during the mark up process performed by the miner.

This provides surveyors with more time to focus on quality assurance of the control points being used for production drilling and blasting, and with no requirement to perform layout and pickup tasks, can greatly decrease the time required to cycle a round.

With MOSS implemented in active headings, we see a direct result to improved workflow and faster cycle times. The real-time data MOSS is able to capture and provide solutions for includes: Comparison between mine design and actual blast, setting of line and grade, collar drill hole location, 3D drill pattern generator, face scanning and photos, and cavity monitoring. The entire seven-step process takes on average 10-20 minutes.

MOSS streamlines the entire process of marking the face for accurate and efficient rounds each time, as well as bringing the data to the surface.

With MOSS, the engineer’s plan for the mine is followed accurately, measuring each face with real-time results, ensuring that the miners can get to the ore as efficiently and accurately as possible.

MOSS has proven direct cost savings due to the real-time data provided to the miner at the face. Each time the MOSS process is completed, the mine plans are updated, this results in newly updated plans every day. After the tablet is synced, surface workers can quickly see overbreak or underbreak, deviation from mine design, topes, and volumetric data. See an immediate return on investment in direct relation to more accurate metrics to month-end reconciliations and financials.

Information that surface workers can see in real time or shift by shift basis includes:


• Overbreak
• Underbreak
• Deviation from mine design
• Topes
• Drill hole patterns
• Hold offs on uneven faces

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Increased Line & Grade

Real-time surveying performed by the drill crew which eliminates the need to wait for the surveyor. Improves cycle times and increases productivity.

 

Reduction in Overbreak & Underbreak

When a mine uses MOSS it drastically reduces overbreak and underbreak by 10-15% and takes the guessing out of the process.

 
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Reduction of Costly Reworks

Lower operational costs by:

  • Reduced rework
  • Reduced trucking costs (less overbreak)
  • Reduced ventilation costs (smaller area)
  • Reduced cycle time
  • Reduced workforce

Developmental & Production Stage Efficiency

Today’s modern mining industry is safer, more efficient, and more cost-effective, due to innovation and the adoption of new technologies. MOSS checks off all these categories. MOSS speeds up cycle time by providing the ability for one miner to perform tasks previously completed only by the survey crew in 10-20 minutes that would have previously taken up to two hours. In addition, MOSS eliminates the serious hazard of workers being exposed to open cavities with its cavity monitor survey feature.

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