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Traditional mines will have to modernise to remain competitive.
Leon Louw
Are you involved in any research or development of new products or technology that will play a role in the‘ modernisation’,‘ mechanisation’, or automation of mines?
Yes. One of Multotec’ s developments is to automate the measurement of wear on our screening media products. By understanding how products are performing and their expected life, we will be able to better customise our solutions. For example, to be able to predict equipment end of life so we can then proactively ensure inventory is available for replacement.
How should mine managers and operational managers prepare for the future, and what are the major changes they should start introducing?
It’ s not just the mines, but the whole industry. The advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution means getting masses of data from various parts of the business( and outside operations that affect the business) and using it to the advantage of the organisation. Managers need to know what data will provide the most leverage as there will be a surfeit, with varying levels of usefulness, and what combinations of data will provide the greatest benefit. Managers will have to ask which data will be useful and which businesses to partner with. These businesses will have to be able to provide the analytical capability to convert the data into meaningful information that the organisation can act upon.
Which aspects of mining should be prioritised when we talk about modernisation? What are the challenges and the opportunities in modernising the industry?
Modernisation has always been there; the difference now, though, is that the change is happening at a more rapid pace. It is an incremental process that identifies the benefits from a range of possible improvements. It requires, however, that the right information is available to enable managers to allocate resources effectively.
The modern mine will be data-centric, which means there will be large flows of data from the point of measurement to the database where it can be converted into useful information. Three existing technologies will predominate in the modern mine. Firstly, sensing capability, which is the ability to collect raw data from operating equipment. Secondly, communication of that data. One of the complexities here is the transmission of signals in an environment where the signals will be absorbed, reflected, and attenuated. In addition, with the masses of sensors that are transmitting data, the frequency spectrum could become clogged. Finally, all that data needs to be continuously stored and converted into meaningful information, which can be used either by another machine or for human interaction.
Within such an environment, technologies like artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and machine learning will become more commonplace as miners are forced to remain competitive. A major challenge will
be to have the necessary infrastructure in place to handle these developing technologies, as well as the essential expertise to support such infrastructure. Another challenge will result from an increase in automation because of the adoption of such technology, which will have a socio-economic impact as machines replace humans in routine tasks. The opportunities that will arise, however, will be the development of small, technologically capable companies that can partner with the mines in specific areas of data capture and information generation.
What is your vision of the‘ mine of the future’?
Technology will become more complex and, as a result, original equipment manufacturers( OEMs) and service providers will become more specialised in what they do. Miners will become more focused on their core speciality and rely on partners to provide solutions in other parts of the value chain. For example, OEMs may be required to operate their own equipment on behalf of the mines and will thus become more service orientated. Consequently, the service provider will become more intimately involved in sharing the wins and losses of the miner and will therefore be driven towards continuously optimising their products. Perhaps, because of this, the modern mining operation will become a company with a core of essential services to support a matrix of service providers who are technologically capable in very specific areas on the mine.
FEBRUARY 2018 MINING MIRROR [ 13 ]