Caterpillar Inc has announced a new alliance with IMA Engineering to enhance Caterpillar’s innovative Cat® Precision Mining initiative. This collaboration aims to use cutting-edge technology to provide real-time, detailed information about ore, enabling sites to improve the efficiency and accuracy of mining operations.
Cat Precision Mining is Caterpillar’s advanced vision to improve every step of the mining process, from extraction to processing. By incorporating real-time data and the latest technologies, this initiative aims to ensure that mining operations can adjust more quickly and precisely to the natural variations in ore.
“Our goal with Cat Precision Mining is to give our customers the tools they need to make quick and accurate decisions, leading to better handling and processing of materials,” said Marc Cameron, Senior Vice President Caterpillar Resource Industries Sales, Services and Technology. “We believe the collaboration will ultimately elevate the industry’s standards in mining productivity and efficiency.”
The joint effort will focus on using IMA Engineering’s state-of-the-art ore sensing technologies in different stages of mining and integrating them into the Caterpillar ecosystem. These technologies are crucial for accurately identifying and analysing the material properties of ore as it is mined and processed so low-quality material is classified as waste and not processed.
Jukka Raatikainen, CEO of IMA Engineering, highlighted the importance of teamwork in advancing the mining industry. “Mining is going through a transformative shift to digitalised, autonomous operations. Disruptive solutions are required to reach the ambitious levels set by the industry for safe, efficient and sustainable mining. Our collaboration with Caterpillar is enabling that change.”
This alliance the statement said “not only underscores Caterpillar’s commitment to leading through innovation but also strengthens its role in transforming the mining industry by improving decision-making and enhancing overall operational efficiency.”
Relevant IMA Engineering technologies include its Blast Hole Sampler-Analyzer (BSA) which provides Analyze While Drilling (AWD) and Measure While Drilling (MWD) data, for accurate elemental analysis and rock/ore hardness information. This takes representative samples from the drill cuttings continuously and introduces these samples to an on-line analyser, which has an advantage in being able to make instant analysis of drill cuttings while drilling. These cuttings are then analysed instantly in seconds using XRF. BSA collects samples and dense drill cuttings data from production and Reverse-Circulation holes, which allows companies to obtain accurate 3D maps of the blast benches.
