African Mining July 2022 | Page 33

TECHNOLOGY • been more specific : Tesla , BMW , Audi , and VW are all moving over to battery electric , whilst Toyota has gone battery and hydrogen with a dual offering – and they ' re all going with lithium-ion technology currently . Based on the premise that we end up with a full-blown conversion globally , the industry is predicting that one would probably need somewhere between six to eight-fold more lithium globally . Considering how long it takes for a mine to go from concept to actual production , the typical timelines lie anywhere between eight to 15 years for development and production of minerals . So , the biggest challenge that I see on the horizon is that the battery materials – the likes of lithium-ion and nickel , which we ' ve now recently seen a big squeeze on – will become scarce , and commodity prices could force the industry to look at alternatives . Scarcity of materials could potentially hinder the progress . Whoever secures a consistent reliable supply of materials with various suppliers , for example , the likes of Tesla who recently signed a deal with BHP for their nickel , are going to be well positioned .”

Strategy vs execution He goes on to say that there is a big difference between strategy and execution . “ Europe , as well as other large markets that consume various products and goods are going to start either taxing , or not purchasing goods that are not , at least to some degree , or completely decarbonised . Basic penalties and premiums will come into play for products , hence the strategic drive to towards decarbonisation and carbon neutrality . The ‘ will ’ is therefore there to invest and convert to battery operation to decarbonise . The asset type and commodity will dictate how quickly this move happens , and hence some OEMs are saying some miners are very keen to move now , and they ' re actively starting to replace diesel vehicles with BEV , while others are sitting tight , waiting to see where it all goes .”

Planning Furthermore , Brodner points out that planning is critical to move into the electrical and / or hydrogen space . “ At what point does it make sense to change over and what mix of technology would work best ? Although the different technologies require different types of infrastructures , they can be complementary too ,” says Brodner . To assist mines with this , the CSIR has developed a digital twin for underground mining environments , as well as open pit . Initially built for safety , this tool can use tracked , learned behaviour to predict behaviour on a mine . Using machine learning and artificial intelligence to learn behaviour , the risk profile of a certain layout – number of vehicles and traffic management plans on a mine – can be planned . “ Virtual scenarios can be played out using this 3D replica of a facility to test different situations to assist with decision making . The next step for the CSIR is to create a second module to this digital twin too , which involves the operational decision makers using it as an operational tool on mobile devices .

The move to BEV in mining is immediate – it is happening now the world over , and Africa is no different . This move is happening at a fast pace , bringing with it core benefits to mines with a drive to NET zero . However , it does not come without its challenges , and it is clear that collaboration , planning , skills and change management will be key . Technology developments in Africa started many years ago , and our homegrown expertise is right up there with the best of them . Watch this space as next month we talk to the MEMSA OEMs in the market about the technology they have been working on and we cover the benefits it brings to the mines . •

References :

1 . Mandela Mining Precinct Media release : “ Partnership to establish an industry underground testing facility for mining research and development in South Africa ” The Mandela Mining Precinct is the largest Public-Private Partnership of its kind in South Africa . It is a partnership between the Department of Science and Innovation , and the Minerals Council South Africa . The initiative is jointly hosted and managed . The SAMERDI committee has representation from the Mandela Precinct , MEMSA , DSI , the Minerals Council South Africa , DMRE and the CSIR , to name but a few . by the Minerals Council and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research .

2 and 3 : Clusters | CSIR : www . csir . co . za

Technology development , localisation , skills development and regulation development go hand in hand .