Fakawi

Fakawi is a simple survey tool designed to provide miners and shift supervisors with the ability to accurately measure and plot face advances.  Fakawi can be used by all mining officials – not only surveyors.  Developed by MineRP, the total Fakawi kit with targets in a carry bag weighs less than 4kg.
Recordings taken with the instrument are stored on, and measurement control is done using an iPod Touch, providing up to 7GB of storage for data collection and easy downloading into systems such as mineCAD.
Fakawi gives you:

• Easy to use and tamper free measurements
• Light and easy to carry, one man operation
• Recording device suitable for other data collection
• Measure without entering the face
• Real bookings that can be trusted
• Plans constantly up to date and auditable
• Proper check on leads, lags and holing note
• Analyse blast efficiencies for remedial training
• Full 3D volumetric measures possible to eliminate hoisting discrepancies

The Measurement Process

Measurement setup is done where the face can be observed and then orientated onto 2 or more pegs. The measurements are taken and recorded on the iPod and are then plotted via software, without any potential for mid-process tampering with observations. Since all measurements are taken with a laser, false advances are eliminated, and data accuracy is extremely high.
A great feature of Fakawi is that measurements are possible without entering the stope face. Working from the gully gives easy access to pegs and provide a safe working environment.

Integration Features

Link to the booking system ensures that advances can only be made from the graphically plotted advance. If the sq meters for a blast is less than expected a reason for partial blast is requested. This in-process measurement practice means that supervisors remain informed about real advances, and where their production problems actually are.
Another advantage of the seamless integration between Fakawi measurements and the booking system is that plans are constantly up to date for accurate monitoring of rock mechanics, ventilation, holing and remnant problems. Any other official will be able to audit the face position with a Fakawi at any time and surveyors can take an official measurement whenever they install pegs. Month-end measuring can therefore be done in a day. All surveyor shifts will be fully utilised not wasted measuring.
Since the advance per blast can be analysed immediately, corrective measures can be taken to improve explosive and drilling practices if found to be substandard.

Volumetric Surveys

Fakawi makes it possible to go to a volumetric measurement and not only do area measurements – even for narrow tabular ore bodies. Tests have proved there is a potential for considerable errors to occur from sampling stoping widths. Accurate measurement will reduces unaccounted-for hoisting tons and therefore correctly quantify the MCF.