Mineral seam detection for surface miner

A mineral seam detector for use with a mining machine having a cutting drum, the detector comprising:

• a first gamma detector mounted to follow the cutting drum and positioned on or over a first surface that is below a surface cut by the cutting drum;
• and
• a second gamma detector mounted to follow the cutting drum and positioned on or over a second surface that is above the first surface,
• wherein the first and second gamma detectors are mounted such that each of the first and second gamma detectors detects gamma radiation coming from a direction of the surface cut by the cutting drum.

A control system for use with a mining machine having a cutting drum, the system comprising:

• a plow sized, shaped and positioned to cut a trench following the drum in a direction of travel of the mining machine, the trench having a trench depth below a surface cut by the drum;
• and
• a detector assembly mounted to follow the cutting drum proximate the surface cut by the drum, the assembly including
• a surface gamma detector, and
• a trench gamma detector, the trench detector being mounted to be positioned in or over the trench, and the surface detector being mounted to be positioned over the cut surface and higher than the trench detector by a distance equal to the trench depth.

A method of controlling a mining machine having a cutting drum, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first gamma detector mounted to follow the cutting drum and positioned over a first surface that is below a surface cut by the cutting drum and a second gamma detector mounted to follow the cutting drum and positioned over a second surface that is above the first surface, wherein the first and second gamma detectors are mounted such that each of the first and second gamma detectors detects gamma radiation coming from a direction of the surface cut by the cutting drum;
• detecting levels of radiation with the detectors;
• and
• controlling a cutting depth of the mining machine based on the detected radiation levels.

A method of controlling a mining machine having a cutting drum, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a plow sized, shaped and positioned to cut a trench following the drum in a direction of travel of the mining machine, the trench having a trench depth below a surface cut by the drum;
• providing a detector assembly mounted to follow the cutting drum proximate the surface cut by the drum, the assembly including a surface gamma detector and a trench gamma detector, the trench detector being mounted to be positioned in or over the trench, and the surface detector being mounted to be positioned over the cut surface and higher than the trench detector by a distance equal to the trench depth;
• detecting levels of radiation with the detectors;
• and
• controlling a depth of cut of the mining machine based on the detected radiation levels.