southforkmining
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2006
Posts: 275
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Post by southforkmining on Feb 19, 2014 0:34:12 GMT -5
Hi..I need some help does anyone know of a reasonably priced handheld devise that can detect a void, cavity, or pocket, in a large boulder or rock outcrop...I have no idea what technology would be needed....like ground penetrating radar, ultra sound...maybe something along those lines...or simplier....I am guessing I would need only 2 feet max of penetration depth....thanks to anyone who can offer an idea...Rich
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Post by Pat on Feb 19, 2014 0:58:13 GMT -5
I'd use a long, thin pointy stick.  |
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Post by roy on Feb 19, 2014 10:10:36 GMT -5
tap it with a big bar if it sounds hollow then it is !!?
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Post by jakesrocks on Feb 19, 2014 11:24:04 GMT -5
Ultrasound generally won't detect voids more than an inch down. And ground penetrating radar is just that. It will detect disturbances in the ground. If there is a hidden cave under the ground, it will detect it within its design range. But detecting voids in solid rock may be out of its capabilities. Both types of equipment would also be out of the price range of the average person.
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southforkmining
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2006
Posts: 275
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Post by southforkmining on Feb 19, 2014 23:20:57 GMT -5
Don...can you suggest some type of electronic devise that may be useful...maybe thinking outside the box....something that is maybe used for another purpose that might offer a possibility..........thanks...Rich
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Post by 150FromFundy on Feb 21, 2014 20:23:17 GMT -5
There is a type of "x-ray" technology that many Highway Departments used to look for voids behind steel highway culverts and underpasses. It is a large hand-held device that detects cavities behind the pipe wall to scope out potential settlement, sink holes, etc. Don't know if this would work, and can't remember the vendor, but it may point you in another direction with your search.
D
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Post by jakesrocks on Feb 21, 2014 22:42:56 GMT -5
Roy,about the only thing I can think of would be a gas powered core drill. If you suspect there's a void in a boulder or bedrock, drill in. If you hit a void, you'll know it. The core drill would break through into the void, and you'd feel it at the drill end. You can get extensions for core drills, so you would be able to drill in for several feet. It's very time consuming, and you need a water supply to cool the bit and flush the hole out. The plus side to doing this is, when you check the core you've drilled out, you'll see the target crystals or minerals in the core sample. It would also be possible to feed a fiber optic camera down the hole into the void to see if the void is worth opening.
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