Automation in mining involves using advanced technologies, robotics, and software to control and manage mining processes with minimal or no direct human intervention on-site.
Here are some benefits of these technologies:
Automation increases the level of control in what is inherently a chaotic process by applying more stringent rules to decision-making processes and removing the randomness inherent in isolated decision making. Applying a controlled process to variable mine geology and ever-changing topography results in higher productivity and lower cost.
Another benefit of automation comes from increasing the utilization and performance of haul trucks and other high-cost capital items. With improved control comes a reduction in the expected levels of wear and tear and breakdowns, enabling preventive maintenance to be better planned and performed. Moreover, the amount of wear and tear will be reduced because the autonomous machine is operated constantly within its design envelope. Costly breakdowns and unplanned maintenance should be avoided, as the cost of the repairs are higher than planned ones, but more importantly, the disruption to the production process cascades through the system with costly knock-on effects.
Another significant benefit is the large fuel savings that can be achieved by optimizing the vehicle operating parameters, a vital consideration in times of high oil prices and concern about GHG emissions. Clearly, the time is right for automation, but it will not happen overnight. The technology for a fully autonomous mine must be developed, but it is unlikely that any one single company could take on the challenge alone. The disparate, independently developed pieces of the automation puzzle will need to be connected and synchronized. If there is no sustainable competitive advantage from in-house developments, most mining companies will not want to incur the high costs and will prefer to buy technology from specialist suppliers.
Underground mining, where the imperatives for change are much greater, was the first bastion to fall to equipment automation. Space is tight, the dangers are greater than surface mining, and health issues are of greater concern. Vision and guidance systems enable a remotely controlled vehicle to know precisely its location in a mine by comparing the camera view with stored images. Vision systems improve the ability of a remotely controlled vehicle to approach a rock pile and optimize the load collected. The combination of these semi-smart machines with effective communications infrastructure enables tele-remote operation of underground machinery by operators sitting in safe and benign office-like environments and allows machinery to be operated in areas where the dangers preclude human operation.
What benefits of automation do you find most impactful in your own field or daily life? Share your observations!
Text rights : Peter Darling
Source: Peter, 2011. SME MINING ENGINEERING HANDBOOK, Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.
