Shaft Analyser

Shaft Analyser was born on a specific engagement. A gold mining operator needed full internal condition assessment of a 980m production shaft without ceasing winder operation. Off-the-shelf tools could not deliver it: they could not hold accuracy over a long vertical descent, had no native concept of shaft quadrants or depth bands for defect localisation, and carried no suitable defect taxonomy for mining infrastructure. So we built our own shaft scanner.

We built what the engagement required. Shaft Analyser delivered the client’s audit on time and has since been deployed on multiple operational shafts in South African and African mining groups.

The tool is not productised for third-party licensing. It is a Delta Scan capability we deploy into mining engagements where its specific workflow materially improves the client’s audit.

Shaft Analyser addresses three problems commercial tools left unsolved. Accurate reconstruction held over a long vertical descent. Shaft-frame geometric referencing that locates defects by quadrant and depth band rather than in arbitrary world coordinates. A mining-specific defect taxonomy (corrosion, deformation, fastening failure, concrete spalling, and conveyance damage) with severity grading aligned to industry standards.

The output is a structured engineering audit suitable for operator engineering teams, insurance underwriters, and regulatory submissions. Every audit is reviewed and signed by a registered Pr Eng.

• Purpose-built shaft scanning rig combining LiDAR with panoramic visual imaging
• AI-assisted reconstruction that holds accuracy over a full vertical descent
• Shaft-frame referencing (quadrant and depth band) for defect localisation
• Mining-specific defect taxonomy and severity grading
• Per-severity bubble diagrams and shaft schematic overlays in the engineering report
• DeltaCloud delivery with the 3D reconstructed shaft model available for operator review

Shaft Analyser is deployed exclusively on mining engagements. It is suitable for production shafts, ventilation shafts, and service shafts across gold, platinum, coal, and chrome operations.

The tool has been validated on vertical shafts up to 1,000m deep. Future development is planned to extend to inclined shafts and large ore passes.