GPR for mapping fractures and as a guide for the extraction of ornamental granite from a quarry: A case study from southern Brazil

摘要

This paper presents the results of an application of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) method for localizing fractures, unloading or exfoliation joints, massive blocks, and identifying the top of fresh granite. The reason for this work was to orient the mining operation in a way to optimize the extraction costs of large blocks of ornamental granite from a quarry in Capao Bonito region of Sao Paulo State, southern Brazil. Five GPR profiles using antennae of 25, 50, and 100 MHz were made, as well as six velocity soundings. The work was done in three distinct locations in the quarry: on the land surface above the quarry, along a road crossing the quarry, and in front or below the active quarry face.