PARTEQ Innovations has signed a collaboration with Atlas Copco related to an underground mining automation technology. This technology was developed in the lab of Dr Joshua Marshall, with graduate student Dr Andrew Dobson, from the Department of Mining at Queen’s University. This Queen’s technology may lead to the automation of the process for loading the bucket of an underground LHD with fragmented rock. Atlas Copco will continue to develop this technology, and potentially incorporate it into future generations of its underground mining equipment.
“This technology solves a long-standing problem in mining robotics, and we are thrilled that Atlas Copco chose to partner with us at Queen’s. This sort of international success speaks to the quality of our researchers, uniqueness and relevance of our work,” says Marshall. “Atlas Copco has a fantastic team of dedicated and forward-thinking people, which made this collaboration experience both technically as well as professionally rewarding.”
“We are pleased to see a Queen’s technology become the subject of a collaboration with a multi-national mining company, such as Atlas Copco. This collaboration is an example of a technology transfer project that helps to support our strategic framework objectives related to internationalization and research prominence of research conducted at the University.” says Dr Steven Liss, the Vice Principal, Research at Queen’s University and Chair of the PARTEQ Board of Directors.
“The collaboration with Queen’s University has been a positive experience bringing about new knowledge as well as good relations between ourselves. The resulting technology enables us to plan for autoloading options on our LHD products. All in the spirit of sustainable productivity which is Atlas Copco’s overall brand promise” say’s Olav Kvist, Vice President Mining Technology.
Atlas Copco also sees future potential for further cooperation with Queens University in the field of mining automation. Marshall’s research focuses on mining systems and robotics, and involves the development and application of advanced methods for perception, modelling, and control of mining equipment and processes.
PARTEQ Innovations is a not-for-profit corporation to act as the technology transfer agent for Queen’s University at Kingston. PARTEQ has the exclusive rights to all intellectual property owned by the University.