MINING SOFTWARE
“ When considering automation , a starting point plan is crucial and RPMGlobal has solutions that provide detailed planning and forecasting critical to any automation project ,” he said . “ A realistic plan that is continuously updated with data from trusted sources is a critical step in the uptake of automation .”
One of the key aspects to operating an autonomous mining operation is giving the correct instructions to the equipment when it is required , according to Beesley . In this context , it is no longer acceptable to plan weekly , and let the supervisors on site react to changes in the mine plan .
“ The mine plan needs to be continuously maintained ,” he said . “ RPMGlobal has led the charge on extracting data from fleet management systems , maintenance systems , enterprise resource planning systems and many others to inform the plan and communicate the updated plan back to the operation .”
MST Global ’ s Palmer said the increased uptake of automation will require the convergence of data streams into one end point .
“ I believe that one of the key requirements of software will be the ability to interface with , and track , autonomous machines and consolidate this information to one accessible point ,” he said .
“ We , as MST Global , have no need to focus on the automation itself , just facilitate the most effective use of it .”
This is where the modular nature of MST Global ’ s HELIX platform can be useful , expanding from simple visualisation tools , to vehicle information tied to proximity detection and access management systems using geospatial tracking information and Edge devices , Palmer said .
Webb says Datamine also has something to offer in the automation arena .
The company ’ s recent addition of Snowden ’ s Supervisor , when combined with Datamine Studio RM , is helping clients automate their processes more easily through the integration of tools they are already using , or by making some upgrades to their current processes , he said .
“ Another example of this is our partnership with PixPro – a photogrammetry solution which works with Sirovision and Studio Survey to automatically generate surfaces and volumes from drone LiDAR data ,” he said .
Daw says Hexagon ’ s automation focus is holistic ; going all the way back to the data acquired at the very beginning of the value chain and reconciled at the end : from geological modelling through to the execution of tasks and operations .
“ Many companies are starting to execute on such data-management strategies , allowing them to access and gain more insight into their data ,” he said . “ We ’ re increasingly seeing Edge devices capturing data and bringing it back to the office where it ’ s transformed into information for more proactive decisions .
“ IoT , cloud computing , AI , predictive analytics and , ultimately , automation are all playing a role in this shift towards the connected ecosystems strategy .”
Maptek ’ s Coloma sees network advancements as integral to the increased uptake of automation in the industry .
“ In the next five to 10 years , mining will see a massive consolidation of automated tasks , supported by on-demand data analytics and seamless data networks ,” he said . “ The uptake of 5G technology will facilitate adoption of this type of development and access to its benefits .”
Solutions such as Maptek Resource Tracking ( MRT ), the company ’ s live material tracking and reconciliation system , will take advantage of this increased bandwidth . MRT supports operational business improvement by delivering data in-shift where and when it can be acted on , according to Coloma .
Maptek Resource Tracking supports operational business improvement by delivering data in-shift where and when it can be acted on , according to Eduardo Coloma
He added : “ While there ’ s automation to increase speed in this process , there ’ s still the capacity for geologists to see the correlations with the resource model and further refine or correct the data association .”
Modular Mining ’ s solutions have been interacting with autonomous vehicles for close to a decade , with Komatsu ’ s FrontRunner AHS for mining haul trucks incorporating the DISPATCH FMS as the supervisory control component of the system .
Michael Lewis , Technical Director – Technology ,
Komatsu , said automation goes far beyond unmanned trucks , “ extending to a broad spectrum of automated functions and machine types , across five levels of full operator versus full equipment responsibility ”.
Modular added : “ Recognising that each mine has its own unique requirements and that customer operations span the levels of being autonomousready , Modular Mining is committed to developing solutions across the automation spectrum , including offerings specific to truck spotting , assisted operation ( including active blade control ), payload management and more .”
What next ?
Automation is only part of the story . Now armed with oodles of data , an open mind
FEBRUARY 2021 | International Mining