PRODUCT FOCUS
By Kim Kemp
Underground mining is considered one of the most dangerous career choices, as measured by fatalities
per annum. What is being done to address the safety of the workforce?
researched as one of the South African
Mining Extraction, Research, Development
and Innovation (SAMERDI) Advanced
Orebody Knowledge technologies. This
technology enables miners to visualise
potentially hazardous geological structures
in the hanging wall that could lead to falls
of ground.
Also, RockPulse, an early-warning
and monitoring system, will assist mines
with listening to raw micro-seismicity;
extracting micro-fracture features and
analysing the resulting series to detect
large instabilities in the rock mass, in time
to avert a catastrophe, while software
programmes lead the charge for safety
enhancements underground.
Renier Strydom, Africa regional
manager at MICROMINE | Intuitive
Mining Solutions, says that, in the context
of underground safety, MICROMINE
software contributes by not only making
mining easier, but also facilitating the
design of safer mines and assisting
operations. It does this through
providing functionality associated with
equipment and personnel positioning,
communication, operator licensing, and
real-time data collection. Data collection
can be further expanded to include other
functionality such as proximity detection.
“The use of software has most
definitely increased safety in mining
operations, including underground mining.
Safety is the number one consideration for
any mine operation irrespective of country
or region. From designing better, safer
mines with solutions like MICROMINE, to
software performing complex calculations
and recording parameters associated with
seismic activity, ventilation, gas detection,
equipment and personnel tracing,
proximity detection, fatigue management
and autonomous mining equipment.
“The use of software in mining,
including underground mining, is
invaluable, especially given the ever-
In its quest to dig
ever deeper for richer
ore veins, the mining
industry has had to
reconsider its take
on human safety
underground, with
technologies emerging
that could not only
lessen human fatalities
but do away with
humans entirely.
increasing complexities and challenges
associated with resource extraction and
the economics behind it. The technologies
used underground seem to be a lot more
complex underground than on the surface
due to the unique challenges faced
underground,” says Strydom.
Automation
Many greenfield mines now include
automation in the overall scope of the
project owing to cost per tonne analysis,
and mining companies that operate
automated systems are coming to grips
with the efficiencies gained, developing
their mines to take best advantage.
Strydom says that there has been
“a big trend in recent years” around
auto mation, “with the amount of data
being captured on some of these units
by the manufacturers and the push to
reduce the amount of human interaction
as well. With the amount of data floating
around, clients have started seeing the
value in capturing those types of events
and reporting on it in real time. So,
business analytics, trend analysis, possibly
identifying equipment failures or root
cause analysis, and so on.
“From a South African and African
perspective, the requirement for the
bigger solutions has most definitely
increased. The need for optimisation,
technological enhancements, concepts
like big data, and increase in data
speeds and coverage all facilitate this
growing demand.”
Strydom says that “We have more
than one software solution. We have three
solutions divided into four products that
cover the whole mining value chain.” It is
the Pitram offering of which this feature
makes mention. Pitram is MICROMINE’s
scalable fleet management and mine
control solution that records, manages,
and processes mine site data in real time.
While there are three variants of
the Pitram solution, the one pertinent
to automation is the solution where
the mining fleet is installed with in-cab
computer hardware. Strydom explains:
“This allows for integration to many third-
party systems. Equipment operators are
also able to interact directly with a mobile
device and capture mining activities
while captured data is locally stored or
forwarded via a communication network.
“Data capture is subsequently moved
in field while complemented with onboard
or third-party systems. In-field data
captured will be visualised within a control
room using Pitram applications and stored
in a secure SQL database. The control
room operator will oversee the mine
operation and address any exceptions that
might arise. This includes aspects such
as deviation from shift plan, safety, and
production aspects.”
Speaking from a South African and
African perspective, he says that the
buy-in on automation “has been huge”
and muses, “Economical and operational
challenges might be the big motivator for
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