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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 ]