LABYRINTH® is a novel statistical method to quantify intact rock damage and conditioning from x-ray microtomography data:

  • Enable tens of thousands to millions of microfractures to be analysed simultaneously
  • Sample size similar to standard intact rock strength tests
  • Applicable to rock pieces, core and fragments.
LABYRINTH damage

Microfracture data from x-ray microtomography

 

X-ray microtomography data is processed using image segmentation to identify all microfractures, including; pre-existing and blasting induced damage. Damage, D is the difference between the pre-existing microfracture distribution, and the post blast microfracture distribution i.e. before and after the blast (International Patent Cooperation Treaty Application PCT/AU2016/000131).

Here is a link to a digital rock video showing x-ray microCT data.

Digital Rock Video

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Applications include;

  • Conditioning for caving enhancement, comminution and leaching (MMT3)
  • Blast damage assessment for open pit slope stability (LOP2)
  • Rock burst mitigation (de-stress blasting of pillars)
  • Mine-to-Mill studies
  • Assessing how damage affects rock strength (LOP2)
  • Assessing stress damage around excavations (e.g. nuclear waste depositories)

LABYRINTH® Applications LABYRINTH® Case Studies