Immersive Technologies has announced the winners of its 14th annual Global Business Improvement Award which acknowledges the most outstanding results achieved by mining companies who use simulation as a key driver in mine optimisation. Category winners are selected from mining companies across 50 countries for their achievements in continuously improving operational safety, productivity and reliability through strategic simulator-based training initiatives.
It states: “These projects demonstrate excellence in aligning people, process, and technology to push the mining performance envelope across any OEM make, this year’s winners operate mixed fleets including Komatsu, Caterpillar, Liebherr and Hitachi.”
As part of its vision to be the world’s leading mining contractor with the best productivity, engineering and occupational safety and health and environment record, Pamapersada Nusantra (PAMA) in Indonesia partnered with Immersive Technologies for a haul truck-based improvement project targeting accident reduction and machine fuel efficiency. Real results included a 12% decrease in accidents; 7% decrease in damage caused by accidents; and 3.9% reduction in fuel burn.
“Our initial implementation of Immersive Technologies simulators helped us create a work-readiness assessment to ensure operators had the skills to perform their duties safely. In this program new operators and those returning from leave were given a simulator-based assessment and training with the end goal of increasing mine safety and reducing mining incidents. The Custom Mine Site from Immersive Technologies helped us conduct this training with realistic operating conditions of Pamapersada Nusantra Mines,”
said M. Nabawi – PAMA Operational Training Section Head.
Vale in Brazil utilised Immersive Technologies simulators to drive skills development in PC8000 loader operators in an autonomous haulage circuit. Results in the real operation included a 5% increase in production dig rate; 15% improvement in autonomous truck spot time; and 79% improvement in autonomous haulage system wait time.
“Investment in state-of-the-art training technology is essential for mine productivity and safety. By investing in our people, they master their operating technique and show a significant improvement in productivity, safety and care for the machine’s components. The work carried out with the Immersive Technologies team is a great case study of the need for continuous data driven training,” said Caroline Mirian da Silva Reis – Autonomous Mine Operation Coordinator at Vale.
Usiminas in Brazil completed a continuous improvement project focused on production efficiencies for its Caterpillar 777G haul trucks. With support from Immersive Technologies, Usiminas completed a program which utilised real world data and simulation training data to identify operators in most need of training. Mining operators then completed targeted simulator training to hone their skills.
Real results included a 22% improvement in haul truck spot times; and 4% improvement in haul truck availability.
“Our strategy for utilising Immersive Technologies simulators in operational improvement has been multi-faceted. Our initial implementation of the Immersive Technologies simulator for the CAT® 777G truck was focused on operator safety. Next, we conducted a fuel efficiency study we verified a reduction in usage of 50,000 litres of diesel…it was an honour to participate in these projects, Simulator technology allows us to train operators without the operational risks and also reduces training costs through reduced unproductive machine time,” said Fabricio Lopes – Usiminas Mine Operations Instructor.
Nevada Gold Mines completed a continuous improvement project targeting improved machine reliability through decreased equipment abuse and proper operating technique on their CAT® 793C haul truck fleet. Results included a 39% reduction in abusive shifts events; up to 14% reduction in brake temperature events; and a 42% reduction in body up events.
Finally, Grupo Mexico Buenavista de Cobre utilised the fuel efficiency training capability of their Immersive Technologies simulator to improve the skills and behaviours of its haul truck operators. To assess the impact of introducing fuel-efficient behaviours, the fuel consumption rates of the equipment were measured both before and after the training. Real results included a 2.1% reduction in haul truck fuel used and 5,000+ tons of carbon reduction. “The usage of Immersive Technologies simulators allowed us to achieve the objectives that were set at the beginning of the project. Our main operating expense is the consumption of diesel and having achieved the objectives is very satisfying,” said Ing. Jorge Millan – Mine Operations Superintendent.
