Tag Archives: automation

Epiroc unveils new Competency Center in Elko to service US market

Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, ,

Epiroc has unveiled its newly-established Competency Center in Elko, Nevada, which, the OEM says, will serve as the epicenter of innovation, housing unique programs and capabilities catering to the entire US market.

The 48,000 sq.ft (4,459 sq.m) facility is at the intersection of W Silver Street and W Idaho Street and will be home to 8,000 sq.ft of modern office space, a 4,000 sq.ft state-of-the-art training centre, 16,000 sq.ft of warehouse and a 20,000 sq.ft workshop featuring multiple machine bays, Epiroc says. It will also host an outdoor staging area.

The Competency Center provides advanced technical assistance, specialised electrification and battery-electric vehicle (BEV) expertise, including diesel-to-battery conversions. It features a streamlined supply chain, cutting-edge technology proficiency and circularity programs applied to full machine rebuilds, remanufacturing and planned component replacements, Epiroc says. While delivering high-quality customer service, field and workshop support, sales and applications assistance, the Competency Center also serves as a comprehensive training centre, addressing the industry’s growing need for skilled operators

Jon Torpy, President and General Manager of Epiroc USA, said: “The opening of the Competency Center in Elko is a pivotal strategic goal for Epiroc USA. This facility embodies our commitment to helping customers build the mines of the future, delivering reliable, trustworthy expertise. It signifies a major step forward in our mission to extend fleets’ longevity and contribute to the industry’s sustainable development.”

Epiroc already has a population of autonomous blasthole drilling equipment at mines in Nevada, in addition to a service centre in Battle Mountain, Nevada.

Boliden Garpenberg receives Sandvik’s first automation-ready battery-electric Toro LH518iB LHD

Automation, Base metals, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Boliden’s Garpenberg zinc operation in Sweden has taken delivery of Sandvik’s first Toro™ LH518iB with AutoMine® as part of a 12-month collaborative trial of the new automation-ready 18-tonne battery-electric loader.

Considered one of the most modern mining operations, Garpenberg is the world’s most productive underground zinc mine and Sweden’s oldest mining area still in operation. The mine is now set to become the first in Europe to trial a Sandvik battery-electric loader, the OEM says.

The Toro LH518iB will support Boliden’s efforts to improve sustainability by reducing greenhouse gas emissions underground. The company’s climate targets include a 40% reduction of absolute CO2 emissions in Scope 1 and 2 and 30% reduction of Scope 3 emissions by 2030.

Jenny Gotthardsson, Garpenberg’s General Manager, said: “We are proud to be recipients of the very first Toro LH518iB with AutoMine. The unit has already undergone extensive factory testing in Finland and we look forward to really putting it through its paces now in our operation. We’re on a journey to reduce fossil fuel usage and CO2 emissions and increase productivity, and we are happy to work towards these goals with long-time partner Sandvik.”

The Toro LH518iB marries battery-electric and automation technologies. Building on the predecessor Sandvik LH518B, the Toro LH518iB features several design updates and significantly improved field serviceability. The latest version of Sandvik’s intelligent control system enables AutoMine readiness, and AutoMine compatibility will be available for Garpenberg’s Toro LH518iB in the March quarter of 2024.

The Toro LH518iB has dimensions equivalent to the 14-t size class, enabling it to fit in a 4.5-by-4.5-m tunnel. Its ground-up design, powerful electric motors and innovative electric driveline result in a compact size with higher payload capacity and increased visibility, Sandvik says.

Sandvik’s patented self-swapping battery system, including the AutoSwap and AutoConnect functions, minimises infrastructure needs and enables the loader to return to operation significantly sooner than ‘fast-charge’ mining BEVs, the company claims. The battery swap is performed by the loader itself, controlled by the operator in the cabin, without need for overhead cranes or forklifts.

Johanna Øygard, Territory Manager for North East Europe at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said: “We’re excited to see the productivity and sustainability benefits Garpenberg will gain from Toro LH518iB with AutoMine as we monitor the loader’s performance and production metrics over the next 12 months.”

In Mexico, Torex Gold is set to receive 11 Toro LH518iB battery-electric loaders as part of a 35-unit-strong hybrid fleet for its Media Luna project.

IOCA names REGROUP Australia as preferred primary contractor for Hancock iron ore project

Mineral project development, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Alien Metals Ltd’s wholly-owned subsidiary Iron Ore Company of Australia Pty Ltd (IOCA) has named REGROUP Australia as its preferred primary contractor to undertake the construction works, mining operations and haulage services for its flagship Hancock iron ore project in the Pilbara of Western Australia.

IOCA has conducted a competitive market engagement over the previous six months to identify commercially and technically adept contractors to undertake works as part of the Hancock development and operations. This process has involved pre-qualified and targeted proponents submitting bids for specific scopes of works and agreeing to key commercial terms.

REGROUP is, Alien Metals says, a highly renowned and experienced civil construction, mining operator and haulier, having executed projects that exceed A$100 million ($64 million) on multiple occasions. It operates one of the largest privately and independently owned fleets in Western Australia, with clients that include Newcrest Mining, Roy Hill and Element 25.

The selection of REGROUP allows the company to update its financial model as part of the definitive feasibility study (DFS) work streams, Alien Metals says.

As part of the preferred construction contractor award, REGROUP would be in charge of construction of an intersection of the project area at the Great Northern Highway and construction of an access track from the Great Northern Highway to the mine site.

REGROUP has also been selected as the preferred operations contractor for:

  • Mining services (that is inclusive of any drilling and blasting activities); and
  • Haulage services for the haulage of ore from the mine site to Port Hedland.

The award of this contract remains subject to the completion of a positive DFS, approvals, funding and the Board making a final investment decision.

The 2021 scoping study on Hancock showcased a 1.25 Mt/y production profile that would sustain an eight-year life of mine with current resources. The company has said it plans to make its first shipments in 2023, leveraging its direct shipping ore options.

Troy Whittaker, Chief Executive Officer of Alien, said: “Securing REGROUP as a key contractor for the Hancock project is a significant milestone for the company…This is the first step in locking in relationships with contractors on the back of the IOCA sourcing process, securing competitive pricing from contractors, which moves planning for the project forward.

“We are excited to partner with REGROUP, a company that shares our values. REGROUP has set the goal of becoming carbon neutral via the use of a fully battery-powered fleet and the utilisation of solar and wind to help power their sites. That combined with their commitment to advancing indigenous businesses, notably through the championing of Maramara in Western Australia, a majority Indigenous-owned Pty Ltd company, is one of the reasons why we teamed up with REGROUP.”

Michael Still, Managing Director of REGROUP, said: “REGROUP is looking forward to working with IOCA, firstly in the establishment of their mine, as well as the long-term success of the operations from pit to port. We also see a great opportunity to support First Nations business, Maramara, in delivering the civil scope of this exciting project. We would utilise our expertise as a Pilbara-based business and being a partner of a values-based miner such as IOCA, we are eager to see the impact we know this project will have on the Pilbara communities.

“In being a greenfields site, the Hancock project lends itself well to autonomous and electrified solutions for both the mining and bulk haulage fleet. We will continue to work with our partners in Scania and Janus to integrate new and emerging technologies where practical, both on-site and in Port Hedland. The consolidation of the construction and operational activities under one group will facilitate speed to market for IOCA and provides us with the opportunity to embed our expertise early in the project.”

Hexagon, MinRes to ‘transform mining’ with autonomous road train developments

Automation, IoT, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hexagon AB has signed a major agreement with diversified mining company Mineral Resources (MinRes) to provide an autonomous haulage solution for a fleet of road trains to run at the Onslow iron ore project in Western Australia, which, the companies say, will transform safety, productivity and sustainability in the region.

The world-first, fully autonomous road trains are a full-site, truck-agnostic solution, leveraging positioning, onboard autonomy and by-wire, fleet management, collision avoidance, world perception and autonomous mission management solutions from Hexagon.

These solutions will be added to Kenworth 330 t road trains (coming with three trailers each), which will run autonomously on MinRes’ 150 km private haul road.

This agreement builds on two major milestones the companies achieved over the last two years in anticipation of rolling out the fully autonomous road trains at Onslow.

In late 2021, Hexagon and MinRes signed an agreement to develop an autonomous road train solution as part of a plan to unlock “stranded tonnes” in the Pilbara of Western Australia. Then, in April 2022, the companies announced a world-first had been achieved with the successful demonstration of a triple-trailer, automated road train platoon in the Yilgarn of Western Australia – each autonomous road train, in this case, hauling 300 t of iron ore.

Andrew Crose, Vice President, Autonomous Mining, Hexagon’s Mining division, told IM that the speed of adoption of this automated solution – from agreement to demonstration, to planned commercial deployment, in a little over two years – was aided by the abilities and efforts of a global team of Hexagon experts.

“Hexagon has staffed a large multi-national team across the Hexagon technologies stack across Perth (Australia), United States, Brazil, Switzerland and Canada to deliver this technology,” he said.

The companies also worked within the framework of the established Code of Practice for Safe Mobile Autonomous Mining in Western Australia to gain the necessary regulatory approvals to move the project forward at such a pace.

Mike Grey, Chief Executive, MinRes, said in the press release: “Automation will remove the risk of driver fatigue, lower operating costs and reduce fuel use and emissions. There’s enormous potential for these vehicles to transform mining across the world.”

Commissioning of the autonomous road trains is expected to fall in line with the go-live date for Onslow – currently estimated for the first half of 2024.

The road trains form an important part of the 35 Mt/y project, ensuring this tonnage is moved from the mine to the Port of Ashburton.

MinRes has said previously that the autonomous road train technology will initially be adopted for its own mining operations, with a view to offering the solution to its Tier 1 customer base as it grows its Mining Services division.

Hexagon recently expanded its autonomy offering with the acquisition of HARD-LINE; a deal that, Nick Hare, President, Hexagon’s Mining division, says allows the company to provide a scalable automation platform that all mining companies can use and grow with.

AngloGold eyes autonomous haulage advantages at Nevada project

Automation, Mineral project development, Mining events, Precious metals, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

AngloGold Ashanti says it is considering the use of autonomous haulage at its Expanded Silicon project, in Nevada, USA, as part of plans to leverage new technology at the in-development asset.

Speaking on a roundtable discussion titled ‘Beyond the hype: how technology can drive mining operations performance’ organised by global subsurface software company Seequent, Marcelo Godoy, Chief Technology Officer at AngloGold Ashanti, said the company was studying the application of autonomous haulage to optimise efficiency and reduce risks at its projects in Nevada.

Discussing automation and robotics as one of three transformational technologies the company is looking to leverage to achieve its net-zero emissions goals by 2050 – electric vehicles and renewable technologies being the other two – Godoy said he saw robots running key production activities at the company’s mines by the time they reach net-zero emission status.

AngloGold has been leveraging automation in its drilling operations, with Godoy noting on the roundtable that the company was seeing improvements in terms of efficiency, precision and safety.

“We also make extensive use of semi-autonomous LHDs in our underground mines, and we are studying the application of autonomous haulage vehicles to optimise efficiency and reduce risks in our projects in Nevada,” he said.

Asked to expand on this by IM after the roundtable, he said: “Our Nevada projects are conceptualised as open-pit mining operations and, at this point, we are only looking at autonomous haulage.

“As far as I know, there is no proven and off-the-shelf autonomous loading technology that could successfully work in the hard-rock environments where we operate. Autonomous loading is still an ongoing technological development and I expect that it will become prevalent in the mining industry before the end of this decade.”

He added that the option of autonomous haulage is being considered at the company’s Expanded Silicon project, which builds off AngloGold’s discovery of the Silicon gold deposit in the Beatty District of Nevada.

In 2022, the company outlined a maiden inferred resource estimate of 3.37 Moz of gold at a grade of 0.87 g/t Au and 14.17 Moz of silver at 3.66 g/t Ag contained within a base of 120.4 Mt. A prefeasibility study is being worked on currently.

Sandvik to supply Pucobre with six Toro LH621i autonomous loaders

Automation, Base metals, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, , , , , , , , ,

Chile-focused copper miner Sociedad Punta del Cobre S.A (Pucobre) has selected Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions to supply a fleet of six Toro™ LH621i autonomous loaders equipped with AutoMine® Multi-Lite for its mining operations in northern Chile’s Atacama region, the OEM says.

Pucobre is among Chile’s largest underground copper miners, producing approximately 38,000 t/y of fine copper from its three mines near the northern city of Copiapó.

“We’re consistently exploring and implementing technologies that can enhance safety and productivity in our mines,” Sebastian Rios, Chief Executive Officer at Pucobre, said. “We have an ambitious goal to automate 75% of our stope operations, and this is a major milestone in that journey.”

Sandvik will supply the order in two phases. During 2023, Pucobre will receive four Toro LH621i loaders and the remaining two in 2024.

“We are pleased to support Pucobre in improving the safety, productivity and reliability of its mine operations with the deployment of our autonomous loaders,” Ricardo Pachon, Vice President, Sales South Cone and Andean at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said. “We look forward to working with Pucobre as it continues on its automation journey.”

Toro LH621i loaders feature a 21-t payload capacity. The loaders’ reliability, robust structure and Sandvik Intelligent Control System enable the use of highly advanced digital solutions, such as AutoMine. The Toro LH621i offers superior hydraulic power for fast bucket filling and drivetrain power for high ramp speeds and can quickly clear tunnel headings for rapid advance rates, according to Sandvik. Long-life components, specifically developed for the rough underground environment, contribute to low cost per tonne.

The AutoMine Multi-Lite system is a highly advanced automation system that enables system operators to remotely and simultaneously supervise multiple automated Sandvik underground loaders and trucks. It provides a powerful way to take advantage of the full machine performance, and helps improve productivity, safety and cost efficiency in underground mining operations, according to the company.

RCT leverages ControlMaster remote-controlled tech on Amphiroll Mud Scroller

Automation, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , , , , ,

RCT has found a new application for its ControlMaster® remote-controlled technology package after successfully deploying the solution on an Amphiroll Mud Scroller working on tailings ponds.

Operations are now more efficient and safer for the Western Australia-based earthmoving team using this equipment, according to RCT, now owned by Epiroc.

The mud scroller, used to aerate the caustic mud of the tailings pond to dry it out, was previously a manual operation requiring two machines operating at one time for personnel safety reasons.

The ControlMaster Line-of-Sight solution has removed the operator from the cabin and allows them to control the machine from up to 200 m line of sight, according to the company. This custom one-off kit was designed, supplied and installed by both the Perth Customer Service and RCT Custom team, the company’s designated bespoke solutions department.

“This solution removes operators from any potential danger that could arise from them physically being out on a tailings pond and allows them to instead carry out the task from the safety of a light vehicle located nearby,” RCT’s Account Manager, Phill Dean, said.

The introduction of this technology has also dramatically changed how the Mud Scroller is transported to various sites, according to RCT.

“Previously amphirolls were twice the size requiring oversize movement permits and weighed about 18 t, so moving this piece of machinery required large multi-lift crane operation,” Dean said. “Now, the logistics of moving the small unit is easier and only requires a large tile tray and this in itself reduces mobilisation costs substantially.”

As well as deploying the ControlMaster technology, RCT designed, manufactured and installed the EarthTrack® custom dashboard.

“This dashboard was designed to display all the integral information in an easy-to-read format,” Dean said. “It will let the operator know the pump pressures, engine temps, fuel level and an overall live health report.”

The new and improved mud scroller remote solution was deployed at the beginning of the year in trials and is being used today with great success, according to the company.

Danfoss, Swift Navigation, Bonsai Robotics and HARD-LINE parter on off-highway automation developments

Automation, Communications in mining, IoT, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , , , , ,

Danfoss Power Solutions has partnered with Swift Navigation, Bonsai Robotics and HARD-LINE to expand the offerings in its autonomous machine development platform.

Danfoss will integrate the companies’ solutions into its PLUS+1 Autonomy software, enabling users to enhance their autonomous machines with Swift Navigation’s high-precision positioning service, Bonsai Robotics’ camera-based vision systems and HARD-LINE’s tele-remote operations solution, the company said.

Peter Bleday, Head of Autonomy, Danfoss Power Solutions, said: “Autonomous off-highway machines are becoming more sophisticated. As we advance towards Level 4 and even Level 5 autonomy, high-precision navigation and remote control beyond line of sight will become requirements. Swift Navigation, Bonsai Robotics and HARD-LINE are very different companies that each have a reputation for technology leadership and flexibility. These are natural system partnerships for us and strategic business fits. We look forward to integrating their solutions into our PLUS+1 Autonomy platform and helping our customers stay ahead of the curve in their autonomous vehicle development.”

PLUS+1 Autonomy is a software platform designed to substantially reduce development time and facilitate rapid vehicle prototyping, helping OEMs get autonomous and semi-autonomous off-highway machines to market faster. In addition to its PLUS+1 Autonomy platform, Danfoss offers engineering services and ruggedised hardware. Danfoss Autonomy teams work with customers from concept to production, supporting full machine development.

Swift Navigation’s Skylark precise positioning service offers decimeter-level accuracy from the cloud to PLUS+1 Autonomy, eliminating the need for additional ground infrastructure, it says. It is well suited for industries such as construction, agriculture and other applications that demand high-precision GNSS capabilities. Skylark covers a wide range of major markets, including the USA, Europe, Japan, Korea and Australia.

Brad Sherrard, Executive Vice President, Industrial, Swift Navigation, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with Danfoss, a renowned leader in industrial machine control. Accurate machine control and autonomy rely heavily on precise positioning. Skylark’s exceptional reliability and extensive coverage make it the ideal solution for these applications.”

Bonsai Robotics is a fast-growing startup that specialises in camera-based vision systems for adverse conditions such as heavy dust, debris, vibration and lack of GPS. The system uses cameras instead of traditional positioning systems, enabling greater accuracy at very low cost when navigating the toughest conditions.

Tyler Niday, founder and CEO, Bonsai Robotics, said: “Bonsai’s partnership with Danfoss has allowed us to rapidly integrate with several vehicle form factors in order to add vision-based autonomy and Visionsteer driver augmentation to equipment operating in some of the most challenging conditions. The beauty of PLUS+1 drive-by-wire systems is that an autonomous perception system can drive the PLUS+1-equipped vehicles through CAN bus messages in the same way that a human would use manual controls.”

HARD-LINE offers teleoperation services that enable monitoring and control of machines over the internet. The service complements Danfoss’ radio-based remote-control solutions, which allow operators to remotely control machines within line of sight. Teleoperations are ideal for operators supervising multiple autonomous machines. If a machine stops due to an unknown obstacle, the operator can log in to the HARD-LINE system, navigate around the obstacle then resume autonomous operation without needing to be close to the machine.

Chad Rhude, Vice President of US operations, HARD-LINE, said: “HARD-LINE is excited to partner with Danfoss to provide a teleoperation solution to work in conjunction with their PLUS+1 Autonomy software. We feel that HARD-LINE’s teleoperation solution is ideal for giving autonomy providers the flexibility to remotely intervene when required during the autonomy process. We look forward to adapting our API to integrate into the PLUS+1 Autonomy platform and working with a great company like Danfoss to bring autonomy and teleoperation to a wider industrial market.”

Nokia and Sedna to expand LTE private wireless partnership in southern Africa

Automation, Communications in mining, IoT, Mining services, , , , , ,

Nokia and Sedna Industrial IT Solutions have built on the LTE private wireless partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed last year, with a pledge to expand further into southern Africa.

In November of last year Sedna strengthened its partnership with Nokia to become its main value-added reseller (VAR) and systems integrator for Africa in the mining sector, among others, to enable Industry 4.0 applications. This comes as demand for enhanced network solutions grows in Africa thanks to their ability to deliver safe, more efficient, and productive solutions in operational areas above and underground, they said.

“We are progressing significantly beyond last year’s MoU and are accelerating activities, with an upcoming roadshow set for southern Africa where we will showcase the benefits of network and safety advances for African mining and industrial companies,” Anton Fester, MD of Johannesburg-based Sedna Industrial IT Solutions, said.

Gary Conway, Nokia Head of Energy and Mining business for Africa, India, Middle East and China, added: “We are excited to strengthen our partnership with Sedna and are extremely encouraged by the potential in Africa, with demand on the rise for mission-critical solutions, whether fixed and wireless multiservice solutions, 4.9G/LTE, 5G private wireless or secure public networks in remote locations.”

Digital automation in mines has many benefits, ranging from improved worker safety, operational improvements and significantly improved ‘green’ outcomes, the companies say. A Nokia case study shows that the digital automation of a mining truck fleet using a private wireless network led to a 10% reduction in fuel consumption and 15,000 t in CO2 emissions (based on an average mine site with an annual production of 150 Mt).

According to Fester, these solutions and networks are “very suitable” for Africa.

“You can really look after your assets, protect jobs and workers, ensure your mining enterprise stays out of repair shops, gets much better asset usage and mileage – the benefits are endless. This applies across mining but also increasingly into the manufacturing and energy spaces,” he says. “For instance, legacy systems perform several functions across multiple networks, using different infrastructure. We pick up the legacy interface and combine it on a single infrastructure to provide an end-to-end management view of distribution and production.”

Conway said: “LTE private wireless is proving extremely beneficial in the energy sector to improve efficiencies, reduce downtime and faults (80% of Asian utilities are already on this journey with Nokia). This level of automation does not replace jobs but leads to increases in productivity and more opportunities. This is a glass-half-full story in Africa if you consider the demand for more scalable solutions like these, which we are already experiencing. The pioneering use cases have been initiated and it is now about enabling this technology more broadly.”

BHP completes autonomous haulage milestone at South Flank iron ore mine

Automation, IoT, Mine operation news, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , ,

South Flank’s fifth Autonomous Operating Zone (AOZ) has gone live, marking the completion of the original project scope for implementation of autonomous haulage at the major miner’s newest iron ore mine, BHP says.

The project has been safely delivered ahead of schedule and under budget, testament to the hard work and dedication of the embedded project teams from Western Australia Asset Projects, IPRO (Integrated Production and Remote Operations) and TROC (Technology Remote Operations Centre), Komatsu technical support, and South Flank’s Mining Production and Mobile Equipment Maintenance teams, it added.

Through their coordinated efforts, South Flank is now fully autonomous for its primary haul fleet, with 41 Komatsu 930e haul trucks converted and around 185 pieces of ancillary equipment able to operate safely around them in the site’s five Autonomous Operating Zones (AOZs).

“The carefully phased approach we took to bringing autonomous haulage online has ensured a safe transition through the complications of a mixed operation,” Steve Campbell, General Manager of South Flank, said.

“With our on-site IPRO facility at full capacity and both primary crushers accepting autonomous dumping, we can now start to bed in the productivity, cost and maintenance improvements that autonomous haulage delivers through the increased truck hours and more consistent cycle times. I am confident that more improvements will be realised as we optimise autonomous haulage across South Flank.”

South Flank committed to transitioning to autonomous haulage in January 2022, less than a year after first production, and began converting the first trucks in April that year, as well as recruiting and training for the new roles required for autonomous haulage operation. Many of the mine’s existing employees have been upskilled, BHP added.

The first AOZ went live in June 2022, and project scope has been steadily progressed since then, including construction of the temporary on-site IPRO facility, upgrades to network infrastructure and the delivery of almost 3,000 training modules to enable people to work safely in and around the autonomous fleet. The project team continue to support Autonomous Haulage at South Flank during optimisation and ramp up.

South Flank is 156 km northwest of Newman and 9 km south of BHP’s Mining Area C facility in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is Australia’s largest new iron ore mine in more than 50 years. When it merges with the neighbouring Mining Area C operation, it will form the largest operating iron ore hub in the world, producing 145 Mt of iron ore each year.