{"id":21144,"date":"2017-07-12T12:04:42","date_gmt":"2017-07-12T02:04:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/?p=21144"},"modified":"2022-03-29T13:24:01","modified_gmt":"2022-03-29T03:24:01","slug":"thoughts-future-mining-champion-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.machines4u.com.au\/mag\/thoughts-future-mining-champion-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"Thoughts on the Future of Mining from the Champion of Innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Beyond astronomical profits, economic impacts, and even environmental concerns, safety is arguably the most pertinent issue faced by all mining operations. Mining, and the process of blasting, drilling, and gouging materials out of the earth is an inherently dangerous undertaking. As a result, mining deaths have always been somewhat reluctantly accepted collateral damage for the industry. There are however, industry players who are loath to accept this risk, and have made it their mission to improve the safety of miners, while also increasing productivity and improving the outlook for the environment.<\/p>\n

One example of such an innovator is the founder of RCT (Remote Control Technologies) and winner of the 2017 Austmine Champion of Innovation Award<\/a>, Bob Muirhead. Having started his career as an electrical apprentice in Kalgoorlie, Bob experienced first-hand the toll that mining accidents (and deaths) can have on families and co-workers. Touched by these experiences, Bob\u2019s determination to effect change in the industry was forged. He has since gone on to develop technologies which not only increase the productivity of mining operations but also improve the outlook of mining workers through improved safety.<\/p>\n

Line-of-Sight remote solutions in open stope mines<\/h2>\n

Since starting his own business in 1972 and through several commercial incarnations, Bob has gone on to design technologies which protect both machine and worker, including remote control innovations for mining vehicles.<\/p>\n

Traditionally, extracting and processing ore in open stope mining operations has been a lengthy and laborious series of tasks. Shift changing of mining personnel, as well as the need to conduct blasting in such a way as to keep these personnel safe, adds significant downtime to the process. Thankfully, in recent years, progress has been made in the area of remote-controlled technology which has managed to reduce this downtime significantly.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: miningandconstruction.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A case study by RCT<\/a> of remote-controlled devices implemented at China\u2019s Jinfeng gold mine (of Eldorado Gold\u2019s portfolio) examines the success of the technology and its potential to increase efficiency. Hoping to increase production in the Jinfeng mine by two-fold over two years, Eldorado needed a solution which would decrease the downtime of blasting operations, while maintaining the safety of its workers.<\/p>\n

The installation of two ATX2200 Line-of-Sight remote control systems onto Jinfeng\u2019s R1700 LHD vehicles allows them to be operated at a distance, from outside the mine. This not only decreases production time but keeps staff at a safe distance from hazardous operations. Fourteen of Jinfeng\u2019s staff were also trained by RTC in operating the systems, as well as identifying and rectifying faults.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemote control loaders<\/a> are essential for safe long hole open stoping, and to ensure the safety of the operators,\u201d said Jackie Bock, underground foreman at Guizhou Jinfeng Mining LTD to RTC, \u201cthis commissioning and training will enable us to recover ore from places that are considered too high-risk for exposure to our operators.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Taking things further: From remote control to automation<\/h2>\n

\u201cWhere you can automate a repetitive task, it seems to make no sense to run that task as a human endeavour,\u201d Muirhead said in a recent interview with Mining Monthly<\/a>. \u201cWe\u2019ve always said if the task is unsafe it should be remotely controlled, if its repetitive you should automate it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

NORCAT (the Northern Centre for Advanced Technology), a leading private, non-profit organisation has developed a testing ground, where upcoming technologies can be developed, experimented with, and improved upon by companies who hope to service the mining industry.<\/p>\n

In the video below, NORCAT is testing a specially-modified \u2018scoop tram\u2019 with remote controlled and automation technology.<\/p>\n