Drones, also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), have brought greater efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness to mining operations. From aerial mapping to environmental monitoring, these advanced tools are transforming how companies manage their exploration projects (Mining Exploration, 2024).
Daily or weekly surveys are very much possible with the use of drones which will be very fast to cover a big mining site and give accurate data within a few hours (AutoMicroUAS, 2022).
Here are some ways drones are improving mining operations around the world:
- Identifying hazards: Surveyors reduce these (Crumbling rocks, gas leaks, dust explosions and underground environments) risks by removing humans from the inspection process. Remote monitoring improves on-site safety, saving time and reducing operational expenses (How Mine Drones Are Improving Safety and Optimizing Mining Operations, n.d.).
- Volumetric monitoring: Due to the sheer size of stockpiles, it’s challenging to get accurate volume reports using manual methods. Tracking variations in stockpiles is cost-effective and helps reduce unnecessary waste. Mining drones can also track how much material has been excavated from a particular area and approximate how much backfill would be needed to fill a stope.
- Drilling and blasting: Before drilling a flat surface or a mountain, it is necessary to know the right aerial view of the mining site to avoid future circumstances and ideas to drill or blast the place. Drones give clear information with pictures and videography.
- Mine development and exploration: Traditional methods required teams of miners to traverse into unknown conditions to conduct stability analysis, surface mapping, ventilation modeling, and detect hazardous gasses.
Instead of sending people into inaccessible areas, a mine drone can navigate tight spaces more safely and efficiently than any human could (How Mine Drones Are Improving Safety and Optimizing Mining Operations, n.d.).
Drones give accuracy, transparency and repeatability in the mining industry. It reduces risk and cost of operation (AutoMicroUAS, 2022).
What mining task do you think drones should tackle next to make your day easier? Share in the comments.
