MINING NETWORKS
bring advanced automation into play , including the connectivity layer which needs to be supported by the ecosystem and the haulage and drilling equipment suppliers themselves have a role to play . These companies are looking at a different sort of automation – namely smaller and more widely deployed autonomous and remotely-controlled vehicles , including for the underground fleet as well . The mines are turning to the equipment providers saying we want more automation and remote control beyond the large haul trucks – what can you do for us ? The OEMs need to be a couple of years ahead of the cycle , so they are building capabilities into their equipment now which they can then put into the market in the coming years .”
At the same time , workers will require new tools to augment their capabilities , to be effective in a digital environment and alongside new technologies in the field . Stepping up to the next level of automation for a mine and worker augmentation is also a big investment and business case to make – “ one of the things we help them to do is de-risk that decision by engaging with the ecosystem including the OEMs so that when the time comes the miner knows that its equipment suppliers are both ready and capable . It is a key requirement that if a mine adopts a certain technology like 5G , that the main equipment suppliers can support it . And we work with the OEMs to ensure that as they build 5G into their machine , that it will perform to the specifications needed – that it can handle the uplink and latency and resilience . This also means we work with the device vendors who put gateways and modules into the equipment – we test them within Ericsson first in cooperation with the equipment OEMs .”
All of this means that you get to a point where connectivity is no longer just good to have , it is fundamental to the operation because we are moving from connecting just the haul trucks to connecting the whole mine operations . “ You are getting into more advanced levels of automation , including the ability to use remote control to take over when needed , and remotely managed operations in general . Much of this has been sped up by economic and practical factors after the pandemic . Mines want the ability to be able to take control of equipment if there are any connectivity outages , significant labour issues , or other unforeseen events like pandemic related restrictions . It is already happening in other industries – in the logistics industry for example , some warehouses are moving towards remote control forklifts , where operators in one central control office will control forklifts at multiple warehouse locations . The same applies to mining , where Integrated Remote Operations Centres manage autonomy and remote control where applicable across more than one site .”
Jeff Travers , Ericsson Customer Success Lead - Dedicated Networks
Another development in 360 degree mine connectivity is more intensive deployment of sensors . The whole sustainability argument is looking at how do ensure mines have less of a carbon impact – and to know about your Scope 1 emissions in detail and in real time for example , you need data about the mine environment and how your equipment is operating . “ To ensure energy efficiency and sustainability you will only activate autonomous equipment when it is needed , and underground bring ventilation online when it is needed . Greater autonomy also means preventative maintenance becomes much more important .”
Travers added that automation does not mean there are no workers onsite , it just puts them in different places and with different roles . You have the mentioned remote operations centre autonomous controllers and remote control operators ; but you also still have core maintenance teams on site who need to be able to interact with the autonomous equipment . Several studies are underway into how onsite workers will effectively and safely carry out their roles alongside diverse connected equipment
and be empowered in largely automated mines . So do technologies like WiFi and wireless mesh still have a role to play in the autonomous mine ? “ There is always a place for those technologies , it just depends what you want to do with them . But I would say that often they are not economic for wide area coverage and heavy capacities . Also for those who want a certain level of latency consistency and reliability they may not be enough . For remote control for example , you want a 75 millisecond round trip – say for remotely operating torque tools for remote maintenance , WiFi will not offer the required consistency as there will be latency spikes , then the remote operator will experience drops and freezes when the tool does not respond smoothly and instantly . Overall , mines will still use WiFi for the right use cases . But for the functionality they want to bring in now , they are looking to go straight to 5G .”
In terms of network capability and performance , Ericsson of course would emphasise that LTE and 5G are hugely powerful . “ But there is another point to be made in terms of ecosystem support – you want to know that you current product and device gateway fit together , but there will be add ons – more products . What the whole smartphone world proved was that if you standardise certain technology and interfaces , which was done in the telecomms world with 3GPP , you open up things for very fast product development across many companies . So you quickly build a rich ecosystem to draw upon which gives you choice but also brings down the cost and the price . As mines becomes more autonomous ecosystem support will become an important factor .”
In terms of use cases , Travers referred to NEXGEN SIMS as a good example of what is
Zijin joins hands with MTN and Huawei
Nkwe Platinum Limited and South Africa Zijin Platinum ( Pty ) Ltd ( wholly owned subsidiaries of multinational mining company , the Zijin Mining Group ), have joined hands with African telecommunications giant MTN and global ICT provider Huawei , and signed a collaboration agreement to build what they say is the southern Africa region ’ s first 5G-enabled smart metal mine .
MTN and Huawei are to provide 5G-based ICT solutions for the smart mining requirements including , not only high-speed 5G broadband access , but also smart mining solutions like vehicle remote control , IoT , and enterprise digital transformation . “ Once complete , the mine will mark a significant step forward in the digital transformation of the local mining industry . It will effectively demonstrate how a number of emerging technologies can be combined with 5G to improve functions across the mine .”
For more than 20 years , the Zijin Mining Group has regarded scientific and technological innovation as its primary driving force , becoming it says one of the few multinational mining companies in the world to be equipped with autonomous system technology and engineering management capabilities , with a well-established scientific research system and practice platform ,” Fan Zhiyu , MD and CEO of Nkwe Platinum Ltd , said . “ In May 2021 , at the mine launch , we stated that we would build the Zijin Garatau Platinum Mine into a project with advanced technology , solid safety , and environmental protection practices . The adoption of this 5G smart mining solution will certainly enable the Zijin Mining Group to deliver on that promise , and to establish the mine ’ s technology-led global competitiveness .”
48 International Mining | SEPTEMBER 2022