What to Know About Automation in the Mining Industry
The mining industry is complex and evolving quickly, which has made it difficult for mining companies to keep up with fluctuating market demands while continuing to meet safety standards and remain compliant with all industry environmental regulations.
As a result, many mining companies have started adopting smart mining solutions to meet the rapidly shifting business landscape. These solutions are known as mining automation.
What is Automation in the Mining Industry?
Automated mining refers to the use of advanced equipment and digital technologies to bolster processes in the mining industry. Thanks to advancements in both robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), nearly every step of the wider mining process can be enhanced with automation in some form or another, from extraction and mineral processing to material handling and transportation.
Examples of Automated Mining SolutionsAutomated mining solutions can encompass a wide range of smart equipment and software that empower mining companies to remain competitive, weather market volatility, and meet all industry standards and regulatory requirements.
Automated mining equipment can include:
- Loaders
- Haulers
- Dozers
- Drilling rigs
- Excavators
- Trucks
In addition to enhancing physical processes with automated equipment, mining companies also need to incorporate digital solutions if they want to optimize efficiency across operations. Integrated digital systems provide end-to-end process visibility and allow for smarter decision-making at every step, from managing the supply chain to getting products to market.
How Mining Automation Works
The automation of mining equipment works by incorporating robotics, smart software, GPS, and other advanced technologies into existing mining processes. Through a combination of these technologies, mine operators are able to control their equipment with limited human intervention.
Autonomous mining equipment can enable features such as:
- Remote machine operation
- Fully and semi-autonomous operation
- Fleet tracking
- Proximity detection
Benefits of Automation in the Mining Industry
When incorporated across mining processes, mining automation provides operators with a wide range of benefits. These include:
Risk Mitigation
Mining has historically been one of the more dangerous industries for its workers. While safety standards have helped to improve safety, as long as workers need to be present within a mine to operate equipment, there will always be some inherent risk. With automated mining solutions, many of the most dangerous processes can be completed remotely from the surface or with limited human interaction, helping to keep workers out of potentially dangerous situations.
Environmental Compliance
Another common problem for mine operators is ensuring regulatory compliance with environmental standards. With automated solutions, mine operators can limit human intervention to areas where it is strictly necessary. This can greatly reduce the chances of errors occurring, including errors that could lead to environmental issues. Furthermore, with end-to-end visibility, operators can identify processes where issues could arise and make any necessary adjustments.
Meet Fluctuating Market Demands
Market volatility has long created challenges for mine operators. Without end-to-end visibility, it becomes increasingly challenging to adjust operations to meet fluctuating demands. However, with automated mining solutions, operators gain full visibility over their operations, empowering them to make the requisite adjustments as needed.
Enhanced Operational Efficiency
Through automated equipment and software, mine operators can ensure their operations are moving as smoothly as possible. With end-to-end visibility, any bottlenecks or other inefficiencies can be detected and remedied.
