How Robotics Are Changing Mining
By: Scott Bahr
As mining technology continues to advance, we see innovative new potentials for automation that increase safety measures for human miners and improve the efficiency of resource extraction. Robotics and automation can improve the flow of production and even extend mining hours without negatively impacting safety of miners and industry professionals. Today, we will be exploring some of the opportunities for automation we have seen gaining traction.
Autonomous Ore-Carrying Vehicles
Self-driving ore-carrying vehicles are one avenue that we are seeing a substantial increase in productivity and safety for miners. These ore-carrying vehicles can carry large loads long distances and are powered using the same technology, as seen in self-driving trucks. The use of laser, radar, lidar, and GPS technology efficiently and safely streamline the transportation process. They are seeing wide spread use in large surface operations, and are beginning to see headway in underground mining as well. These trucks can also prevent human miners from having to venture to dangerous areas underground to transport ore.
Automated Mining Machines
Limiting the number of miners put at risk by travelling deep underground in dangerous conditions is of great interest to us at Bit Service. Automated mining machines are especially useful in underground areas that may lack structural integrity as they can navigate underground passageways more safely, helping to mitigate risk for human operators.
While automation places equipment rather than humans in harm’s way, there is no need to eliminate your staff members if implementing automated technology. Teleoperation of these machines is precisely maintained by a human operator from a safe distance, so workers are not exposed to the typical operational dangers such as entrapment, falling rocks, and dangerous gas exposure. As well, in continuous mining operation, even employing semi-automomous operation allows for the mining machine to continue to operate during shift changes, extracting previously untapped productivity time.
Automated surface drill rigs have been used as well to ensure the precision and accuracy of drilling while keeping workers safe. The accuracy and precision of autonomous drill rigs save a lot of time, increasing the production rate.
Flooded Mines and Underwater Mapping
Not only have robotics made excavation easier and safer, but they also provide solutions to unnavigable flooded mines and areas of the ocean that were not previously accessible to humans.
Exciting advancements are being made on a global scale. In 2019, A European company developed a multi-robot platform called the Underwater Explorer for Flooded Mines (UNEXMiN), which can be used for “non-invasive [and] autonomous 3D mine mapping for gathering valuable geological, mineralogical and spatial information…that cannot be obtained by any other ways, without major costs,” according to the project’s website.
The potential for future robotic advancements excites us here at Bit Service due to ample applications for the Canadian market. With new technologies coming available, we will be able to venture into areas never excavated or explored by humans due to high-pressure, visibility, or size constraints. Since robots do not require human life-support systems, they can spend far more time in conditions unsuitable for human operators.
From ore-carrying autonomous trucks to automated drill rigs and new prospects for mapping underwater and flooded mines, automated and automomous mining’s benefits are vast. We are proud to keep up with innovations in mining while providing high-quality products for our clients so we can navigate the exciting future of mining technology together.