Mining in focus
feasibility study (DFS) released in July
2018 lowered its Syama all-in sustaining
costs (AISC) from USD881 per ounce (oz)
to USD746/oz. The lower cost profile is
supported in the new DFS by a 38% increase
in underground reserves and a four-year
increase to the mine life to 2032.
Resolute has agreed to work with Sandvik
Mining and Rock Technology for three years.
The partnership includes the introduction of
current and future Sandvik technology.
Sandvik’s i-series range of equipment
supports the movement of mining companies
into an underground automation environment.
Within this range, the LH621 loader has
been matched with the TH663i truck due
to their designed payload capacities. The
LH621 features the latest Sandvik Intelligent
www.miningmirror.co.za
Control System and My Sandvik Digital
Services Knowledge Box onboard hardware
for product health monitoring and faster
troubleshooting.
The TH663i truck is designed for
intelligent mine operations and improved
productivity. It also comes automation-
ready and can be equipped with an optional
AutoMine Trucking Onboard package.
The automation compatibility provides
the possibility to move equipment operators
from underground to other locations,
improving safety.
New technologies in blasting
As mining companies rapidly shift their
strategies and operating models to leverage
digital transformation, new technologies
in blasting and explosives are making an
evermore vital contribution to bottom-line
improvements.
According to Joe Keenan, managing
director at blasting company BME, a
combination of market volatility, changing
global demand, and radically different input
economics, has contributed to a seismic shift
in the industry.
“Automation in mines, new analytic
capabilities, digital workers, and remote
operation are just some examples where
technologies are disrupting the mining
industry today,” says Keenan. “At BME,
our turnkey blasting offering is based on
our ongoing investment in technology in
precisely these fields; combining the power of
MAY 2019 MINING MIRROR [29]