The mining sector has moved beyond the use of
explosives and mechanized equipment introduced during the Industrial
Revolution. Over time, mining techniques and technologies have evolved and
improved, contributing to better practices and strong industrial growth.
Currently, the mining industry is under pressure due to declining demand, price
volatility, increased costs, undervalued product estimates, growing
environmental threats, and rapidly aging mining facilities resulting in the
extraction of low-grade ores. The global mining operations are 28% less
productive than ten years ago. Hence, the mining industry is undergoing a major
strategic transformation to improve productivity, enhance efficiency in
operations, and increase profits.
Disrupting the initially established conservatism,
digital tools and technologies, digital methods, systems, digitized data, and
advanced analytics are being employed to varying degrees across all activities
in the mining industry. Digitalization in the mining industry is unlocking new
ways of managing variability and advancing the future of work. Adding equipment
sensors and a unified network to transmit data, many mining companies have
mechanized their operations to transition from physical to digital. Besides
integrating data from on-field physical assets, the industry players can
improve their ability to analyze real-time information and enhance remote
support of work activities. Thanks to digitalization, many organizations are
able to focus on driving system-level thinking and performance.
Modern technologies and digital tools changing the
face of mining operations are as follows.
Unmanned Aerial
Vehicles as Mine Scouts
Mining processes are highly labor-intensive and
require continuous monitoring of assets. Manual inspections and surveying lead
to many critical safety concerns that can result in injury or death within the
mining industry while restricting the extent of endeavor. A mining block might
stretch to hundreds of acres, for which the supervisors can take weeks or
months to evaluate and take necessary action areas across the site. Besides,
dangerous fumes and chemicals produced by waste generated from mining
operations could create an inhospitable environment for supervisors during long
inspection periods, making them susceptible to respiratory health conditions.
Thus, drones seem like a viable solution for better and safer operations,
reducing the health risks for those involved in scouting and management.
The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with
high-resolution visual and thermal cameras with multi-zoom capabilities have
become an indispensable part of the modern mining industry. The supervisor is
responsible for setting a flight plan covering the points of interest across
the mining site and controlling the camera for a complete 360-degree view of
each zone. Thus, drones reduce the time for scouting operations and increase
the effectiveness and quality of inspections. The aerial vehicles can easily
access hard-to-reach areas, maneuver through rough terrains and collect
precious live surveillance data for immediately actionable insights. The use of
drones enhances sustainability in the mining sector, reducing unregulated
mining operations, often resulting in water contamination, air pollution,
deforestation, and loss of human life.
Wireless Sensor
Technologies for Efficient Operations
From changing environmental conditions to the
explosion, mining operations involve a lot of potential hazards due to the
cumbersome nature of machinery used. Hence, mining organizations have started
leveraging wireless sensors to monitor various processes, keep personnel safe,
and predict maintenance when required. One of the most common sensors used in
mining sites is the gas sensor, which predicts the different fumes arising from
the veins within the rocks during excavation. These odorless and colorless gases
may contain hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride, carbon monoxide, and other
hazardous chemicals, which can put miners' health at risk. Gas sensors measure
the amount of gas released from the rocks and their effect on both personnel
and machinery present at the mine site, which can help prevent accidents and
loss of life. Mine workers need to do a lot of heavy lifting during mining,
which reduces their concentration and makes them tired. Hence, they are now
being fitted with tracking devices embedded with sensors to measure the level
of tiredness so that they do not fall asleep or lose concentration.
Proximity sensors are being fitted on heavy machinery
and vehicles used within the mine to alert the driver through visual or audible
warnings and prevent any damage if they collide with other machinery or
surroundings. Some sensors are also placed in pits, and underground mines where
huge rock pieces and unstable rock faces/ceilings are present to prevent rock
falls after operational measures. The sensors can be used to spot anomalous
trends in data, which can potentially detect downtime in operations.
