Takes the guesswork out of slurry pump maintenance .
MINE AUTOMATION such as cylinders , feed chains , rotation heads , and rock drilling tools more optimally .
At its test sites , the rig looks similar to a manually operated drill but features LiDAR and cameras on the machine ’ s front , back and top . There are also automation mode ( safe-to-board ) lights for transitioning from remote to local operations . Surrounding traffic cones mark out the SmartROC D65 MKII Autonomous rig ’ s geofence , or perimeter of autonomous operations .
The drill was controlled from the Iron Bridge remote ops centre . The SmartROC D65 MKII Autonomous rig ’ s tele remote station sat in a separate low-lit control room . It features two joysticks , a touch screen like that inside the rig , and three additional LCD screens that display critical operational information – hole and drill pattern progress , a video stream from the rig ’ s onboard camera system , and the drill ’ s technical state and alarms .
“ Like any new tech , there ’ s been some skepticism ,” Howlett says . “ But [ Fortescue ] has begun to advertise for jobs for autonomous operators and there ’ s been a lot of interest . One of the lads told me he sees it as an opportunity to see more of his family in Perth .”
“ We have the opportunity to put people in a safer working environment , and help them be more productive and efficient ,” Sterley adds . “ By taking on this digital transformation , we ’ ll attract more talent into the industry .”
So , what ’ s next for the SmartROC D65 Autonomous program ? After the 2022 / 2023 success at Iron Bridge , 2024 is about tackling autonomous contour mining at Fortescue ’ s nearby Solomon Hub . “ There ’ s a lot of knowledge about path planning and obstacle detection but not about tramming for contour operations ,” Howlett says . “ Those are wicked challenges . We ’ re looking forward to giving it a crack .”
MacLean and Sandvik making headway on automation zone interoperability
Sandvik and MacLean have completed the first phase of a collaboration to provide mining companies with more options for expanding automation in the underground environment , they say .
MacLean and Sandvik are working together to improve automation zone interoperability of production and support fleets , with the installation of the Sandvik AutoMine ® system at the MacLean Research & Training Facility and the demonstration of a surface-controlled MacLean utility vehicle , a BT5 Boom Truck , activating multiple AutoMine automation zones delimited with light curtain safety gates .
With this phase now complete , the first key steps in the companies ’ interoperability collaboration have been successfully achieved : automation communications infrastructure installation and the testing of a piece of non- Sandvik mining equipment activating the safety gate system .
In a separate press release , Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions referred to its part of this solution as AutoMine Interoperable Access Control System ( ACS ), a new feature for its AutoMine Core underground system for autonomous mining operations . Designed to improve productivity and increase operational flexibility , this new capability builds on the proven AutoMine Flexible Safety Zone by enabling non-Sandvik , third-party autonomous equipment to operate seamlessly in AutoMine access-controlled isolated zones , it said .
The solution enables a mixed fleet of underground loaders , trucks , drills and auxiliary equipment to be managed with one seamless safety system , as long as third-party equipment designs conform to the functional safety requirements specified for AutoMine operations . Non-Sandvik equipment can be retrofitted with an AutoMine ACS Onboard Box to provide the needed interface between ACS and the machine ’ s safety circuit , according to the OEM .
AutoMine Interoperable ACS , Sandvik says , increases the flexibility between Sandvik automated equipment and third-party equipment by allowing access to a shared automated zone at different times . Each machine can be independently controlled by its own system while operating within the unified AutoMine Interoperable ACS system . This leverages
GIW ® SLYsight
Takes the guesswork out of slurry pump maintenance .
Using custom sensors at strategic locations , GIW ® SLYsight measures the actual wear rate of a pump ’ s parts , ensuring longer run times and sustainable mine operations . Scan the QR code to learn more .
See GIW ® SLYsight in action at MINExpo International September 24-26 , 2024 in Las Vegas , Nevada , USA .
Visit Booth 10449 in the West Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center .
SEPTEMBER 2024 | International Mining 47