AUSTRALIAN TECHNOLOGY
People refers to a willingness to be a part of a culture change to challenge the norms and get involved in action that will result in improvements. Process means to clearly understand the business processes that support improvement changes. Streamlined forums that talk directly about actionable priorities and where accountability is clearly visible are the ideal solution. And technology means“ a platform that not only measures the current and future performance of the assets in real production terms, but also facilitates the improvement changes.”
Maptek survey innovation
The release of the third generation I-Site laser scanners- the I-Site XR3 and LR3- is a significant milestone for Maptek after almost 20 years in the spatial mapping and analysis field.
Maptek first released I-Site Studio software in 1999, focused on developing powerful, practical tools for modelling survey data.“ Confident mine surveyors would readily adopt high-end survey equipment to gather data for the proven I-Site software, Maptek began building laser scanning hardware in 2004.”
Maptek is the sole manufacturer in Australia of terrestrial laser scanners for mining and exports internationally from its design and production facility in Adelaide, South Australia. This year Maptek has released models significantly smaller, lighter and faster than its award winning second generation scanners – the I-Site 8000 series.
“ Innovative design, integrated circuitry and advances in component technology have allowed Maptek to make these improvements as well as dramatically increase the data acquisition rate. The new I-Site XR3 and LR3 both offer significant improvement in range capability while retaining the hallmark I-Site automated mine survey workflow favoured by surveyors, geotechnical engineers, geologists and mining engineers.”
The I-Site XR3 laser scanner is an extra-long range survey system combining fast accurate sensing, high resolution digital imagery and powerful modelling software for improving overall productivity and site safety. The I-Site XR3 is 30 % smaller and 25 % lighter, with five times faster data acquisition than the earliest I-Site 8000 series models. The scanner has a maximum range of 2,400 m and range accuracy of 5 mm.
The I-Site LR3 features the same size, weight and speed improvements and has a maximum range of 1,200 m with accuracy of 4 mm, making it ideal for civil engineering as well as mining applications.
The system includes a new, improved high dynamic range panoramic camera for better digital imagery. This produces high resolution images up to 147 megapixels for geotechnical analysis and visualisation. Snapshot imagery is a new feature and the latest models offer selectable multi-point returns to suit the scanning conditions.
“ Streamlined setup, scan preparation and automated survey registration makes the entire process faster.
Developed in conjunction with the Geotechnical engineers
CSIRO, MINETEC TRAX provides and geologists require less the foundation for large scale
time in the field collecting operational visibility in an underground mining environment data to undertake geological mapping and geotechnical analysis. All I-Site systems are‘ in shift’ operational workflows and fleet protected to IP65 for reliable operation in rugged allocations while simultaneously enabling the environments and are designed, manufactured data capture and visualisation of machine and serviced under an ISO 9022 certified process.” availability, utilisation / performance and location at any given time. It allows for:
Stop working in the dark
■ Transparent information flow between MINETEC is a single source technology provider operators and planning personnel regarding to the global mining industry based out of Perth, targets and current performances; Western Australia. MINETEC is the Intellectual ■ Electronic‘ In shift’ task re-scheduling to Property( IP) owner of TRAX™, which it says is enable greater compliance to plan; the world’ s only integrated high precision
■ Visualisation and identification of bottleneck tracking and real time data communications formation and operational constraints, in real platform for underground hard rock mines, time, enabling greater capacity for strategic providing a single platform to help miners to decision making for fleet allocation;
‘ Stop Working in the Dark.’
■ Continual data capture for‘ in shift’ TRAX, MINETEC’ s enabling technology, is the optimisation, efficiency gains and foundation for a host of additional and performance benchmarking; innovative MINETEC software applications. ■ Reduced capacity for human error in reporting“ MINETEC software has been specifically of material movements to crusher tipples, ore designed to leverage TRAX’ s real-time data passes and / or stockpiles and; communications and high precision tracking ■ A safer operational environment where asset capability to enable site specific task locations can be monitored and management, proximity awareness and communicated to all operational personnel. detection, real time asset tracking and data Finally, utilising the same MINETEC’ s TRAX communications to and from equipment as platform, SAFEDETECT™ incorporates centimetre working‘ tasks’ are taking place.” level ranging accuracy with high level situational Developed in conjunction with the CSIRO, awareness to provide proximity awareness and TRAX provides the foundation for large scale detection to all assets underground, including on operational visibility in an underground mining foot personnel. Operating independently of environment. Using embedded WASP( Wireless network infrastructure on a peer to peer basis, Ad-Hoc System for Positioning) and Wi-Fi
SAFEDETECT will operate independently when meshing data communications technology in a everything else may have failed. network of ruggedised TRAX nodes, MINETEC enables users to track and monitor assets and MPS and new leaching approaches personnel in real time, at centimetre accuracy. Mining and Process Solutions( MPS) holds Combining this with Wi-Fi capability on board the exclusive rights to two key process technologies same device enables task management in real – Continuous Vat Leaching( CVL) and the glycine time and proximity detection for mobile leaching process. CVL is an innovative equipment and people. mechanical leaching system that involves cyclical SMARTS™ is a total mine management,‘ task’ gravity discharge of a lixivant to fluidise and focused, daily planning system, configured to leach metals from ore contained within a vat. It complete the reporting and communication has the efficiency of a conventional tank leach with feedback loop between mine planning and mine costs that are competitive with heap leaching. operations, in real time. SMARTS dynamic
The glycine leach process, developed by functionality enables users to control all critical Curtin University and licensed to MPS, involves a
72 International Mining | APRIL 2017