SURFACE DRILLING
Sandvik Onsite and My Sandvik Productivity solutions , which are on-premises and cloud solutions respectively , have delivered numerous production management , operational efficiency , maintenance and availability benefits for openpit customers . We are also working with our Remote Monitoring Service as well to be able to bring in our Sandvik specialists & AI-based predictive maintenance . Again , these are all things we can offer as the OEM . We are also providing automation reporting – as there is a need to know how well our customers are utilising the automation both onboard and from the remote station . We can then show where they are getting automation gains and suggest further training where needed .”
Zach Ellis , Epiroc Business Growth Manager - Automation & Connectivity
Epiroc on accelerating adoption and acceptance
Epiroc remains the leader in OEM blasthole drill autonomy , but notably it says that the rate of autonomy uptake is increasing ; and now in regions like North America that have been relatively slow to deploy automation in surface drilling . IM spoke to Zach Ellis , Business Growth Manager - Automation & Connectivity , at Epiroc USA to talk through this new demand . “ Demand continues to grow – we put out our 100th autonomous drill in 2023 . Acceptance and adoption reflect the fact that the technology is
Unlocking the value of combined insights for new intel
Following the November 2023 announcement from Caterpillar and Orica highlighting a new collaboration to improve real-time data exchange and integrate workflows across the mining value chain including in drill & blast operations , IM caught up with Sean McGinnis , Vice President of Technology & Global Sales Support at Caterpillar & Rajkumar Mathiravedu , Senior Vice President Orica Digital Solutions
Q What was the overarching purpose of the collaboration ? RK : Miners are yet to realise the full potential from integrating workflows across the value chain , particularly using orebody information in the production stream to improve drilling , blasting , comminution , and processing . The industry ’ s technology leaders need to combine the value from their respective domains to deliver a step change in safety , productivity , material recovery and sustainability in mining operations . Initially , Caterpillar and Orica will look to achieve near real-time integration of critical drill and blast parameters , particularly using orebody information to optimise the drill & blast process and will subsequently look to expand the workflow further downstream .
Q Why does it make sense to do this now ? RK : The advances in sensors , data processing and intelligence combined with the industry ’ s need for safer and more productive operations have driven critical discussions , particularly on interconnected workflows between domain leaders across the mining value chain . The groundwork and key technical concepts have been sufficiently developed over the past few years and are now at a point where execution and delivery of integrated workflows will clearly deliver timely and actionable insights to customers .
Q How will the collaboration benefit customers ? SM : The near real-time integration of critical drill and blast parameters across the mining value chain provides customers with the information they need to conduct their operations in a more efficient way . As an example , the seamless data capture and conversion of monitored drill variables into rock hardness will allow customers to better match explosives energy to the physical rock characteristics . On-bench safety can also be improved through location sharing of the machines and personnel using the different technologies and using machine geofencing for operations conducting drilling and loading simultaneously and in close proximity to one another on the active bench . In the future , our goal is to link orebody physical and mineralogical information into the drill and blast workflows in a way that will improve material characterisation , tracking and management and enable more targeted and prescriptive blasting , excavation and haulage activities aimed at optimising the delivery of the right feedstock to the processing plant .
Q What is the timeline for an expected integrated solution ? What are the longer-term implications for customers and the wider industry ? RK : The Caterpillar and Orica technical teams have already started collaboration and product development workshops started in 2023 with the goal to trial the integrated solution in 2024 . The mining industry primarily relies on mechanical and chemical energy for material comminution . The shared goal between Caterpillar and Orica capitalises on our synergies to integrate our critical technologies and data / parameters across our respective areas of expertise . The collaboration will look to address those key gaps that currently prevent fully integrated technologies , data and workflows , and to accelerate and facilitate the pace of mining innovation in a more rapid and constructive manner . The large customer footprint and global reach of both Caterpillar and Orica made working more closely together the logical choice in terms of achieving these objectives . The longer term outcome is to create an open ecosystem for domain leaders to improve data exchanges between our respective products and solutions for enhanced customer accessibility and productivity .
Q What is the impact to customers using solutions from other technology providers ? SM : Caterpillar ’ s current vision is that customers using other blasting solutions will still be able to do so and vice versa . It is important to note that unique solutions will need to be defined and enabled at each customer site based on the range of existing machines , technologies and supporting systems that are present . There is no situation where ' one size ' fits the needs and requirements of all customers . Again , each site has unique needs and requirements and existing suppliers and technologies and will be assessed prior to defining the scope for any particular operation .
Q What is the interest level of customers and what are they saying ? SM : Innovation is often one of the top areas of interest in discussions with our customers . The willingness of industry leading domain experts like Caterpillar and Orica to work together with customers to define their needs and to integrate their data , workflows and processes is only seen as a positive development towards accelerating mining innovation . The response and willingness from customers to work with Caterpillar and Orica on defining and trialing these solutions at their sites has been really positive .
International Mining | APRIL 2024