CANADIAN TECHNOLOGY
in the field and use its propagation model to find the best locations for the radio antennas .
Ambra determined the optimal location for each radio base station at key underground intersections where multiple tunnels meet .
It stated : “ The performance results exceeded our expectations . For example , the LTE network we deployed supported 21 Mbps over 1.3 km in the tunnels , whereas Wi-Fi could only maintain 8 Mbps over about 300 m . Moreover , LTE provides this coverage at a fraction of the cost of Wi-Fi .”
Not only did the Ericsson radios deliver the performance Nutrien needed , they also build in redundancy to provide resiliency for maintaining communication even if there is a component failure somewhere in the network , according to Ambra .
Eric L ’ Heureux , President and CEO at Ambra Solutions , said : “ Additionally , Ericsson makes it very easy for us to reconfigure the system if we need to change the topology or expand the network . If 5G is needed in the future , Nutrien can just activate the licence without replacing hardware . There ’ s really nothing that prevents us from making changes in the LTE network as Nutrien ’ s needs change .”
Underground workers now have readily available communication throughout the mine and with the control room . This makes it possible to digitally transmit data in seconds instead of taking hours for someone to travel to a phone or Wi-Fi hot spot . As a result , Nutrien is able to provide a safer , more efficient working environment while driving higher mine production .
As an example , Nutrien ’ s mines are filled with kilometres of conveyors that move mined potash to the surface , as well as vehicles ( including a growing number of electric vehicles ) and other mining equipment . Workers can now open a manual or standard operating procedure for a piece of equipment on their smartphones . If a problem arises with the equipment , someone can take a photo and send it instantly to the maintenance team rather than having to drive a vehicle for hours to report the issue . And , with new mobile apps like push-to-talk , voice communication with supervisors or the control room is now instantaneous from anywhere in the mine .
Ambra is now working with the Nutrien team to deploy Internet of Things sensors on vehicles , equipment and systems like ventilation . Combining sensor data with analytics and machine learning , the company will be able to obtain predictive maintenance intelligence to avoid production downtime and further improve safety , productivity and environmental quality , it says . The ultimate goal is to create a truly connected mine where business managers have real-time information to make better decisions , faster and with more confidence .
Optimising the schedule
Equipment and the operators behind machines are rarely fully utilised without mine sites investing in scheduling tools .
This is where Vancouver-based Actenum comes into the fray with its artificial intelligencepowered Actenum DSO / Mine scheduling and optimisation software .
This solution offers powerful decision optimisation support technology and advanced analytics for improved mine planning and operational efficiency that helps mining companies achieve their business goals , the company says .
“ With DSO / Mine , operators can rapidly and effectively build and manage schedules for multiple aspects of mining operations including core drilling , drill and blast , mucking , load haul dump , dewatering and other critical activities ,” it said . “ It schedules any type of resource against any type of activity , subject to any type of constraint , and rapidly aligns the sequence of resources and activities with business objectives . As a result , it simplifies scheduling and eliminates guess work to significantly improve the efficient use of mining equipment , personnel and other resources .”
In a resource-constrained market where labour is at a premium , such a tool is particularly valuable .
Using DSO / Mine , a single worker can save the