Back in 2003, the vet professor of mining at the University of Brit Columbia commenced telling scholars to get ready for a ground-shaking transition into automated mining equipment: robots. Think driverless dump trucks, remote-operated drilling vehicles, and other craft to do difficult or dangerous work underground.
The installation of these facilities and the maintenance of equipment will be done by electric and valve testing mechanical people, but mining engineers have to understand the guidelines behind this gear and how it all coordinates together. Within just a few years you will be accountable for a fleet of lorries that are absolutely robotic. '"
This transition isn't about replacing people. Requirement for mining engineers and skilled labour has soared and mining corporations around the world forecast a worker dearth. Worker safety is the primary reason for automation.
Going underground is a threatening occupation and if we can set up systems where we will be able to operate the hardware remotely from surface, then we've took away the miner from the danger.
There are similar advantages for the open-pit mines that typify operations.
A van driver in an open pit mine ... At the beginning of a shift might be wide awake, but what about the end of 12 hours of driving back and forth between Point An and Point B? Every year, 3 or four truck drivers are finished because they have fallen asleep or driven over the side. It's a threatening occupation.
Robot wagon movements are so consistent that operators must make minute permutations in the path they follow, otherwise they'd wear ruts into roads round the mine.
There's another reason for the transition. The quality of ore at older mines tends to decline as operations shift from the first ore body. That suggests mine operators need to become even more efficient if they would like to continue making profits.
What we are seeing in the business are real challenges associated with the falling ore grades at existing operations and existing mines - and having to move with bigger and larger apparatus to get the same yield.
Also , exploration and new discoveries of ore areas are sometimes in reasonably nasty places on Earth with little to no existing infrastructure. The new frontier in the north, with an absence of infrastructure - requirements for power and water solutions - is unquestionably a trend.
The installation of these facilities and the maintenance of equipment will be done by electric and valve testing mechanical people, but mining engineers have to understand the guidelines behind this gear and how it all coordinates together. Within just a few years you will be accountable for a fleet of lorries that are absolutely robotic. '"
This transition isn't about replacing people. Requirement for mining engineers and skilled labour has soared and mining corporations around the world forecast a worker dearth. Worker safety is the primary reason for automation.
Going underground is a threatening occupation and if we can set up systems where we will be able to operate the hardware remotely from surface, then we've took away the miner from the danger.
There are similar advantages for the open-pit mines that typify operations.
A van driver in an open pit mine ... At the beginning of a shift might be wide awake, but what about the end of 12 hours of driving back and forth between Point An and Point B? Every year, 3 or four truck drivers are finished because they have fallen asleep or driven over the side. It's a threatening occupation.
Robot wagon movements are so consistent that operators must make minute permutations in the path they follow, otherwise they'd wear ruts into roads round the mine.
There's another reason for the transition. The quality of ore at older mines tends to decline as operations shift from the first ore body. That suggests mine operators need to become even more efficient if they would like to continue making profits.
What we are seeing in the business are real challenges associated with the falling ore grades at existing operations and existing mines - and having to move with bigger and larger apparatus to get the same yield.
Also , exploration and new discoveries of ore areas are sometimes in reasonably nasty places on Earth with little to no existing infrastructure. The new frontier in the north, with an absence of infrastructure - requirements for power and water solutions - is unquestionably a trend.
About the Author:
John Wright's works are in books, articles and websites all around the world. Read more: www.specsales.com.au or Specialised Sales and Service
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