Modern Mining

COPPER/ZINC

System and the implementation of Situational Awareness and Short Interval Control through Mobilaris Mining Intelligence. Other Epiroc technology offerings available for the Prieska project include battery electric scooptrams, mine trucks and drilling equipment and the recently launched Mobilaris Onboard – a traffic awareness and navigation aid that provides 5 to 10 m positional accuracy in areas with little to no communica- tion infrastructure underground. “The Epiroc equipment and technology offering will not only enable Prieska to be a highly productive, efficient and safer

mine, but also a cleaner, more quiet and connected work environment for underground workers – the very characteristics of the ‘mine of the future’ that the Prieska project is envisioned to become,” com- ments Tendayi Mwayi, Mobilaris Sales and Business Development Africa at Epiroc. In terms of operator training, Orion has started discussions with Immersive Technologies for its equipment simulators. Simulation-based operator training has been successfully applied to a range of diverse industries – including mining – where high risk and high costs are everyday issues requiring smart solutions. Dennis Smith, site manager at Prieska, says simulation training has been proven to dramati- cally reduce risk, cost, unscheduled maintenance, increase trainer effectiveness and efficiency, while maximising productivity. Within often hazardous industries such as mining, simulation training has quickly gained recognition as a significant method of increasing site safety and profitability through improved operator skill and knowledge. Smith says Immersive Technologies was chosen as a training simulator provider of choice due to the company’s extensive experience in delivering complete training solutions to the mining industry with measurable safety and business improvement outcomes. Meanwhile, the conclusion of a Momerandum of Agreement with Australian headquartered Byrnecut Offshore – envisaging an alliancing agreement for underground mine development and production – paves the way for Byrnecut to bring the benefit of its experience to the development and operation of what is intended to be a global-best practice mecha- nised mining operation. “We are delighted to include Byrnecut into the list of partners we will be working with to establish what will be another world-class mine in Northern Cape. Byrnecut has an impressive reputation on the African

to make sure that the way we lay out the mine allows us to incorporate mechanisation as we go,” he says. Remote-operated load-haul dumpers (LHD), a common practice around the world, will be deployed within production areas. Orion is also currently investigating battery-electric drive equipment, both in terms of LHDs and drill rigs. “We are talking to a number of OEMs to see what’s implementable today and what’s coming in the near future for us to be able to prepare for it,” says Shamu. A key part of the project will be the implemen- tation of a trunk line that allows automation to go ahead, making sure, for example, that the company is running a fibre optic cable that has the capacity to deal with the amount of data that will be generated on site. Orion is already working with Epiroc, one of the leaders in this space, investigating some of the new technologies that can offer a fast and sustain- able route to digitalisation. Epiroc has supported Orion Minerals in the mine design process by providing advice and technical information to assist in the equipment selection for the Prieska project. Some of the technologies being recommended include automated under- ground mining equipment, monitoring of equipment health and productivity through the Certiq Telemetry

Much of the mine’s infrastructure, including the main 1 024 m-deep, 8,8 m-diameter hoisting shaft and decline roadways, remains intact, with minimal repair work to be done.

Key takeaways  New technologies offer mining companies a golden opportunity to become more efficient, boost production, and cut costs, while making the work environment a lot safer  Orion is forging ahead with the implementation of a modern operating philosophy (4IR-enabled) that can play a significant role in achieving dramatic changes in key output parameters  Automation and digitalisation will be at the core of Orion’s ‘mine of the future’ strategy at Prieska project  Remote-operated load-haul dumpers, a common practice around the world, will be deployed within production areas 

24  MODERN MINING  February 2020