FUTURE MINING AND UNDERGROUND AUTOMATION
readers, as well as a semi-automatic process
data configuration to simplify the handling of the
system.
Underground access
Becker MineView 3D visualisation of mine model
window, multi monitor, full screen or a
combination of these modes. The MineView
Client App (available for Android and iOS)
provides access from mobile devices as well.
The MineView Editor desktop application is
used for configuring MineView projects. It
provides all the necessary tools to create new
projects and maintain them. The tools include
most notably the different editors for creating
charts, server side scripts and 3D mine models.
In addition, the MineView Editor features a
simulator to test charts.
The MineView Server is the most important
component of the system. Its main duty is to
collect, store and archive all of the desired
process data and provide interfaces which allow
access to the stored information. Additionally,
user written scripts will automatically be
executed on the MineView Server. The execution
can be controlled by a multitude of different
triggers. For example, a script could be used to
generate warnings if process values exceed
certain limits or daily reports of important
process data.
T o be able to have maximum availability, the
server component was designed as a redundant
self-organising system. The MineView Server can
be physically divided onto multiple computers.
Through this, all the data can be stored
redundant, so that a single point of failure – for
instance a malfunctioning server computer - can’t
interrupt the whole service which could lead to a
data loss. By self-organising these redundant
features, it’s also possible, with minimal
configuration needs, to add additional server
computers into the system without the need for a
lengthy maintenance shutdown of the whole
system. Another self-organising feature is the
load balancing. Through this, the MineView
System can automatically distribute all necessary
tasks to the different server computer based on
20 International Mining | APRIL 2017
their current system load. This leads to an
optimal performance of the overall system.
To improve the productivity and safety of a
mine, wireless detection and position tracking of
moving objects has become a very important
factor. Due to the rapid evolution of technology,
tracking and tracing offers a wide range of gainful
applications: Position monitoring of mobile
machinery, observation of material transport,
localisation of personnel or area access control,
to name only a few. This is made possible by
simply equipping the personnel and machinery
with special transponders and the on-site
installation of appropriate tag readers,
alternatively or in addition to any existing
wireless networks.
MineView also integrates a centralised asset
tracking system and provides TCP/IP
communication to the Becker Wireless Router
Access Points (WRAP) as well as Becker UHF tags
and Wi-Fi clients to cover personnel, vehicles and
assets. Important modules are the blast/shaft
clearance as well as the generation of tip
production reports. MineView’s capability of
combining position-dependent data with the 3D
model of a mine, allows for an intuitive
presentation and exploration of tracking data.
The MineView system provides a full integration
of tagging and tracking functions and data access
via 3D visualisation:
n Management of various (security) zones and
assignment of access permissions for the
different zones (group-based or individually
for single mobile units or individuals)
n Storage and representation of the time when
entering or leaving an area
n Alerts for breaches of access authorisations
n Knowledge of the last known location of
missing persons in an emergency (for
example in case of fire and/or explosion)
MineView has its own symbol library that
contains templates for all relevant Becker
hardware, including but not limited to,
predefined flowsheets for WRAPs and UATR tag
Cementation Canada, using a combination of
existing and proven crushing, pumping and slurry
technologies, has developed a proof of concept
model for process injection hoisting that would
eliminate the need for mine shaft production
hoisting or trucking, transporting ore to the
surface using a pump driven pipeline loop. The
technology is adaptable to all mining methods
and would substantially reduce energy
consumption and ventilation requirements.
The team at Cementation builds mines from
design through to construction and this invention
has the potential to revolutionise underground
mine development to the benefit of the entire
industry. This technique was one of five finalists
in the #DisruptMining competition sponsored by
Goldcorp and Integra Gold Corp during the PDAC.
Cementation was the big winner of the evening
as a co-winner of the C$1 million dollar grand
prize and also the winner of the People’s Choice
Award as the audience favourite. Winnings for
Cementation totalled C$650,000.
Roy Slack, President of Cementation Canada
said: “It was a great event showcasing just how
innovative the mining industry can be and all of
us at Cementation are thrilled to have been
involved and to have Injection Hoisting so well
received.”
During the presentation Cementation asked for
a mine to install and develop a full scale
prototype. By the end of the evening at least
three mining companies expressed interest in
working with Cementation to help develop the
Injection Hoisting technology.
Last May, subsidiary Cementation USA
completed sinking the deepest shaft in the USA
at the Lucky Friday mine in Mullan, Idaho. With a
finished diameter of 5.5 m, the Lucky Friday #4
Shaft was sunk to a final depth of 2,922 m below
surface.
The Cementation group, which is currently
sinking 15 shafts worldwide, has sunk the
deepest single lift shaft in the world at South
Deep mine in South Africa, the deepest shaft in
Canada at Kidd Mine D No.4 Shaft, the deepest
single lift shaft in the USA at the Resolution
copper project, and now the deepest shaft in the
United States.
Hecla selected Cementation USA to sink the
shaft, excavate accesses, stations and pockets,
and install the related infrastructure, which
include a state-of-the-art fully automated ~200
t/h material handling system, a 500 gallon/min
water pumping system, a centralised
refrigeration system with 977 t of cooling
capacity, a batch plant, and other systems.