WORLD PROSPECTS
Railveyor on data optimising haulage productivity & cost
Operational data – generated every second across mining systems – is proving to be a key asset in mines’ efforts to improve productivity and lower operating costs while meeting ambitious sustainability targets.
Nowhere is this more applicable than in haulage operations, where real-time analytics combines with automation and predictive maintenance to reliably reduce cost per tonne, according to Tas Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer of Railveyor.
“ Mines’ focus is no longer simply on moving more material,” explains Mohamed.“ It is on moving material more efficiently, at the lowest possible cost and with the greatest reliability.”
She highlighted that modern haulage systems continuously generate vast quantities of operational data, providing visibility into equipment utilisation, throughput, cycle times, payload movement, energy consumption, equipment health and overall system availability.
“ Rather than reacting to production issues after they occur, mine operators can use these insights to identify bottlenecks, optimise material flow and maximise production capacity before performance is affected,” she said.
By transforming multiple data streams into actionable operational intelligence, management and operators can better understand where delays occur, where assets are underutilised or where unnecessary energy is consumed. Productivity can then be improved without proportionally increasing operating expenditure.
“ Continuous performance monitoring also gives mining companies the agility to respond to changing operating conditions,” said Mohamed.“ When production priorities shift or when ore grades vary, the realtime data allows haulage resources to be rebalanced quickly while maintaining optimal
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throughput.”
This supports a culture of incremental optimisation, where small inefficiencies – which might previously have gone unnoticed – can be corrected before they escalate into production constraints.
“ Over the life of a mine, these incremental gains accumulate into significant reductions in operating costs while improving equipment utilisation and overall system performance,” she said.
Data is also transforming one of the most critical aspects of mining operations: maintenance. Rather than reactive maintenance or fixed service intervals, today’ s intelligent systems rely on conditionbased monitoring. This allows maintenance activities to be scheduled according to the actual health of equipment rather than fixed timeframes.
“ By continuously monitoring parameters such as motor performance, vibration, operating temperatures, electrical loads, braking systems and overall component condition, operators can detect early signs of wear long before failures occur,” she said.
Predictive maintenance helps mines to extend component life in haulage equipment – which in turn reduce total cost of ownership while improving overall system reliability.
The Railveyor hybrid system – combining light rail with conveyor – is controlled and optimised by automation software, positioning the technology as an intelligent production platform rather than simply a materials transport system, explained Mohamed.“ This platform empowers customers to continuously optimise operations and improve business performance,” she said.
Operational data generated throughout the Railveyor system provides customers with detailed visibility into material movement, energy consumption, equipment utilisation and asset health.
“ Unlike conventional haulage methods that often depend on individual operator performance and equipment variability, Railveyor combines autonomous operation with continuous digital monitoring to deliver highly consistent performance,” she noted.
This information facilitates production planning while helping operators identify opportunities to maximise equipment availability. The convergence of automation, electrification and advanced analytics is also delivering wider business benefits. While automation reduces operational variability, the application of continuous data analytics helps mines find opportunities to optimise throughput.
“ For fully electric haulage systems such as Railveyor, these operational improvements are complemented by lower energy consumption,” she said.“ They also have fewer mechanical components, which means lower maintenance. The elimination of diesel fuel costs and associated emissions contributes to both a lower total cost of infrastructure development, ownership and improved sustainability performance.”
Looking ahead, Mohamed argued that digitalisation will reshape mining over the coming decade. Artificial intelligence and machine learning will increasingly analyse operational data in real time, continuously recommending production adjustments and predicting maintenance requirements. It will also help to balance production across multiple mining areas and optimising energy consumption as conditions change.
In this environment, intelligent haulage systems will allow mines to evolve their transportation infrastructure into integrated decision-support platforms.
“ The future competitive advantage for mining companies will come from making smarter operational decisions,” concluded Mohamed.“ This capability will be based on the quality and analysis of the data generated by mining systems – as operations continue their digital transformation.”
www. railveyor. com
Atmos and autonomous pipeline monitoring
Mining pipelines operate under some of the harshest conditions found in any industry. Tailings slurry combines abrasive solids with variable densities and changing flow characteristics, placing continuous stress on pipeline infrastructure. At the same time, pipeline configurations frequently evolve as mining operations expand, with discharge points relocated, flexible hose sections replaced and pumping arrangements modified to suit operational requirements.
These changing operating conditions present a challenge for conventional monitoring systems. Technologies designed for stable liquid pipelines often struggle to accommodate the variability inherent
International Mining | SEPTEMBER 2026