Profiling & Positioning The objective of the Profiling and Positioning System is to improve operator efficiency and effectiveness as sampling and mining occurs under highly turbid water. Transducers are used on the mining systems’ hydraulic booms to determine the position of the booms at any point in time. The positions are tracked and displayed on a screen in the operator cabin. The graphical user interface (see figure, left) and the operation of the system were demonstrated in a test gully. An accurate real-time 3-dimensional (3-D), digital terrain model of the test gully is formed as the excavation occurs. The operator is thus able to get a sense of the gully structure and excavate accordingly, increasing sampling efficiency and effectiveness.
	Bathymetric Sonar Bathymetric surveys are conducted using single beam or multi-beam echo sounders. A sonar system, acquired by Namdeb, utilises a multi-transducer array and single hydrophone detector to capture the mined surface. A motion referencing unit to detect changes in the absolute position of the transducer and detection array is required in order to provide high resolution real time 3-D maps of the mined surface. Figure above illustrates the image as seen by the operator generated during the mining process. Vibration Vibration in this instance has specific reference to the use of a transducer which provides an audible signal that can be displayed on a VDU (Visual Display Unit). The principle of operation for the application is to measure vibration of material as it travels through the wet-mining system’s suction hose and to deduce from the strength of the vibration, the type of material being pumped. The benefit is that the operator receives real-time feedback and is able to make an assessment as to where to place the mining tool. The graphics indicate the mining of gravels (optimum) and the mining of sand. Optics The optical shroud is in its prototype phase. The intention is to control water clarity in immediate vicinity of mining tools using a shroud and to use a high-end underwater camera to determine the extent of mining.