ABSTRACT
The article presents a methodology for calculating the volume of mined mineral extracted from an open pit or quarry beneath the water table, with particular emphasis on the impact of the accuracy of bathymetric measurements on the calculated volume. The legal requirements regarding the record-keeping of deposit resources and the preparation of inventory reports are discussed. Environmental, technical, and operational factors influencing the precision of depth measurements using single-beam and multi-beam echo sounders are analyzed. Field studies conducted at the Wał–Ruda Borowce facility using three sondes, showed a measurement error in depth ranging from 0.1 to 0.16 m, dependent on the inclination of the measured bottom. GIS tools were used for the automated calculation of the volume of the excavation, employing Voronoy polygons. The results indicate that the accuracy of bathymetric measurements is crucial for the reliable estimation of the amount of mined raw material, and the methodology used allows for the control of measurement errors, which is of significant importance for maintaining resource records and managing exploitation.
