Location tracking in underground mines can be traced back as far as the 1980s to when the main technology used was RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Tag Readers placed in the roof of the tunnel.
Organisations embrace technology readily or fear it, often driven by past experience, direct or otherwise. The act of deploying a new technology is only part of the process and we would argue that it represents a smaller element of success than you realise.
Exploration, production, transport, refining… the mining industry does not sleep. Mining is a 24/7 job. But while mining operations are continuous, employees cannot operate this way. They need sleep.
Real-time understanding of your operation enables you to make decisions that impact the outcome now, when it will have the greatest impact. Actions taken at the face have a multiplier effect on downstream operations – maximising payload from the face minimises lost opportunities in the form of spare and/or idle capacity elsewhere. Real-time understanding of your payload is the cornerstone to an optimised operation – Monitor, Manage, Optimise.
Universities have been conceptualising Ventilation-on-Demand (VoD) for over a decade. While a number of mines have evolved and implemented similar systems, few actually reach the working face, and even fewer can check all of the boxes of a true Ventilation on Demand system.
As tailings dams are built to last forever – mine waste needs to be stored permanently – preventing catastrophic failure requires a comprehensive monitoring program. There is a vast range of technology available to help mining companies ensure their tailings facilities are secure – and, in the event of an issue – that they receive ample advanced warning to allow for corrective action.
