A review of the DUB-GEM project and the applicability of drone-based gamma spectrometry in mine closure and remediation

Authors: Preugschat, B; Kunze, C; Wiens, B; Altfelder, S Download Paper Open access courtesy of:

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2415_12

Cite As:
Preugschat, B, Kunze, C, Wiens, B & Altfelder, S 2024, 'A review of the DUB-GEM project and the applicability of drone-based gamma spectrometry in mine closure and remediation', in AB Fourie, M Tibbett & G Boggs (eds), Mine Closure 2024: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 183-196, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2415_12



Abstract:
The use of drone-based sensor systems in mine closure and remediation is continuously increasing due to the technological development of industrial drones, specialised and miniaturised sensor technology, and new evaluation strategies and possibilities. In this context, drone-based applications can be used to support all phases of the mine closure process, from planning through implementation to long-term monitoring of postmining areas. In the DUB-GEM (Development of a UAV-based Gamma Spectrometry for the Exploration and Monitoring of Uranium Mining Legacies) project, a drone-based gamma spectrometry system was developed. Using scintillation detectors (CeBr3, NaI) of different volumes and a specially manufactured heavy-lift uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) with a maximum take-off mass of 25 kg, former uranium mining sites and processing facilities in Germany and Central Asia were mapped and the radiation levels quantified to determine hazards at the sites for humans and the environment. With the drone-based mapping of uranium mining legacies, remediation measures can be planned and monitored. In the long term, highly efficient quality assurance of remediated sites is possible with the system. The results of the three-year DUB-GEM project will be shown as a case study to demonstrate the possible applications of the method in various fields. A unique dataset of drone-based gamma spectrometric surveys at test sites in Germany, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is available. The legacy sites are characterised by different phases of the remediation/closure process. Sites were surveyed where remediation is completed, ongoing or planned. Different flight strategies and techniques were tested using extended ground truthing. The UAV system has also been tested in various weather and environmental conditions, performing radiometric measurements. For example, the drone has been used in temperatures ranging from 10 to 35°C, with a wide range of humidities and at altitudes ranging from 350 to 1,400 m. While the integrated evaluation of all project results has not yet been completed, the first evaluations show the wide range of potential applications of the method.

Keywords: UAV, drone, gamma spectrometry, uranium mining legacies, post-mining areas

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