Modern Mining May 2020

AUTOMATION

Today’s solutions Digital systems available today mainly focus on the power of IoT (Internet of things) devices, which enables near-real time (or real-time where necessary) monitoring of any piece of equipment. “Data pools or lakes filled with this expanse of sensor readings provide limited value in its raw state. Cleaned, trans- formed and integrated data sets, however, have endless possibilities to deliver data driven insights to every mining operation,” reasons Naidu.

Execution management systems that are tailored to the mining industry leverage these pools of data to assist in more immediate, informed decision mak- ing at various levels of the organisation. 2D & 3D mine visualisation, for example, enables situational awareness throughout the mine, while short interval control allows for the planning, dis- patching and on-the-fly optimisation of resources to best meet the targets for the day. Other use- ful applications include GPS for the underground environment, integrated ventilation on demand, personnel tracking and mobile device enabled evac- uation directives. “With the right functionality, a platform that embraces interoperability and a collaborative part- ner that is willing to listen to the daily strife of the mine employee, mine operations will be in a position to capitalise on efficiency improvements that were not possible prior to the introduction of these types of technologies,” says Naidu. Apart from cost-related benefits, there are sev- eral other compelling reasons why these operations should seriously consider the automation route. Benefits abound and include improved drilling accu- racy; improved safety; higher productivity; reduced equipment abuse; prolonged equipment life; and insightful maintenance practices enabled by equip- ment telematics solutions. Furthermore, a gain in productive time where unmanned equipment can

more evenly fragmented blasted rock while limiting under-break or over-break in the active areas. Face and Production drilling could very easily be transitioned to tele-remote work-stations located on the surface, supported by an underground staff compliment that is adept at investigating break- downs, technical issues or to relocate a machine when necessary. Remote operations of these machines will drive the need for a multi-skilled staff compliment which could reduce the number of support staff underground and optimise the use of these personnel.

Mobile Miner 22H in an underground mine.

feature  Room and pillar operations are slightly more complex in that the number of activities on-going in the production area, at any moment in time, requires an advanced level of traffic management that must account for human- machine interactions  For narrow vein stoping operations the continuously changing environ- ment does not lend itself to the idealised image of automation. Kilometres of undulating tunnels chasing high value deposits makes this type of min- ing more sensitive to cost versus benefit considerations Key takeaways  The complexities surrounding deep level mining are far reaching and as such the drive for implementing automated systems and certain digital initiatives are mired with questions around practicality, costs and ultimately the value that could be unlocked through the these types of systems  When considering large-scale mechanised mining, it is clear that there exists more opportunities to deploy autonomous and digital systems

38  MODERN MINING  May 2020