Tag Archives: Automine

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

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.

Sandvik autonomous surface drilling tech heading to Boliden’s Kevitsa mine

Boliden has selected Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions to supply two Leopard™ DI650i down-the-hole (DTH) drill rigs and AutoMine® Surface Drilling systems, enabling fully autonomous surface drilling at its Kevitsa multi-metal mine in northern Finland, the OEM says.

The order also includes a five-year parts and services agreement and My Sandvik Onsite analytics for process optimisation. Delivery of the two Leopard DI650i drill rigs is scheduled during the September quarter.

“Boliden Kevitsa is committed to improving sustainability, productivity and safety by investing in the latest automated technologies,” Christian Bjorne, Vice President Sales Area Northern Europe at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said. “We look forward to continuing our technology cooperation and supporting Kevitsa in its journey to becoming an even more safe and productive mine through our drilling solutions.”

The Kevitsa open-pit mine represents one of the largest mines in Finland when it comes to excavation volume. Temperatures at the mine can drop below -30°C during the winter, and, with operations running 24/7, Kevitsa requires robust, proven technology. Sandvik and Boliden conducted comprehensive field tests over several months to prove the automated Sandvik drilling technology and performance. Technical support exceeded the mine’s expectations during the field tests, according to Sandvik.

Kevitsa will run the two Leopard DI650i DTH rigs using the AutoMine system from a remote control station near the drilling area or from mine control room. Boliden and Sandvik have an ongoing rock tools agreement at Kevitsa, including DTH hammers, bits, pipes and rock tools services. Sandvik on-site technicians will ensure support is available 365 days a year, maximising the drill rigs’ utilisation, productivity and reliability, it says.

AutoMine Surface Drilling is an autonomous solution for a wide range of Sandvik i-series surface drill rigs, designed to improve safety, reduce costs and increase productivity. Sandvik says it enables an operator to control multiple rigs remotely from a comfortable line-of-sight location or a control room – improving working conditions and safety.

Leopard DI650i drill rigs are equipped with iDrill technology, a scalable automation platform that supports fully autonomous operation and is designed to accelerate the production process. iDrill onboard automatics cover all steps of the drilling cycle from automated boom positioning, drilling and pipe handling to finishing the hole, and ensures consistent high-quality drilled holes, according to the OEM. These capabilities can be upgraded with more advanced modules such as single-rig or fleet remote control systems with AutoMine Surface Drilling.

Sandvik to supply Pucobre with six Toro LH621i autonomous loaders

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.

Sandvik incorporates manual and autonomous operation interaction into latest AutoMine advances

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions is introducing AutoMine® Flexible Safety Zone, a new feature for its AutoMine underground system for autonomous mining operations.

The new capability is, Sandvik says, designed to improve productivity and increase flexibility by enabling alternating safety zone states between autonomous and manual operation.

With the AutoMine Flexible Safety Zone, autonomous mining equipment can operate continuously in the automated area while allowing for intersections with manual equipment, according to the company. This capability makes it possible for manual equipment to cross automated equipment routes and share dump or load points. In addition, AutoMine access barriers are equipped with state-of-the-art technology that informs operators of the shared area status with visual and audible state indications, Sandvik explains.

Jouni Koppanen, Product Line Manager Automation, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said: “Our new technology will increase the flexibility between manual and automated equipment by allowing manual operators to request access to a shared area. This request is designed to prevent automated equipment from entering the shared area while manual equipment occupies it. In addition, this flexibility will further enhance customer productivity and allow for continuous operation of both automated and manual equipment.”

Manual operators can request access to a shared area using a variety of actuators at the access barriers. Once acknowledged by the Supervisory AutoMine System and autonomous vehicles have cleared the area, access is granted and manual vehicles can enter safely. This procedure ensures the safety of all operators and equipment while allowing for more flexible setups, Sandvik says.

Elen Toodu, Director Global Product Line and Projects Automation, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said: “This new feature will enhance our customers’ AutoMine operations. We are giving operators the tools they need to adapt to changing conditions, which will ultimately improve productivity and safety in their mines.”

Sandvik to take next mining productivity leap with automated battery-electric loaders

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has been one of the key facilitators of mining’s electrification and automation transition underground, establishing a core offering of battery-electric equipment that leverages Artisan™ battery packs and electric drivelines, plus a wide offering of cable tethered machines, for the former; and the continued rollout of the renowned AutoMine® automation platform for the latter.

The company is now embarking on its next evolution with the integration of the two, which will soon culminate in the launch of the LH518iB – the AutoMine-ready version of the 18-t-payload LH518B.

Integrating electrification and automation is nothing new for Sandvik; the company has been providing AutoMine functionality on cable tethered loaders for over 10 years.

Automating a machine that operates off battery power only is a different proposition.

Although the battery swap process on the LH518iB can’t yet be fully automated, one operator can run the entire cycle from a surface chair, including tele-remote battery swapping. Human involvement underground is only required for connecting and disconnecting batteries from chargers.

“The LH518iB will be the first battery machine that will be automated, compatible with our AutoMine Lite and AutoMine Fleet offering solution as well as our Manual Production Monitoring system,” Ty Osborne, Product Line Manager Underground Automation at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, told IM.

AutoMine Lite is an automation system for a single Sandvik loader or truck and a more advanced alternative for AutoMine Tele-Remote, while AutoMine Fleet – as the name would suggest – is an advanced automation system for a fleet of Sandvik underground loaders and trucks sharing the same automated production area.

Having delivered AutoMine automation systems since 2004 and accumulated a footprint of about 800 automated and connected units, the automation of Sandvik’s growing battery-electric fleet was always on the cards, according to Osborne, predating the launches of the AutoMine Concept Underground Drill – in 2022 – and the AutoMine Concept Loader – in 2020 – both of which are fully autonomous and battery-electric.

The changes involved with automating the battery-electric LH518iB mainly relate to “industrialising” the machine for autonomous capabilities and switching over to the iSeries platform for the added intelligence, Osborne said.

Sandvik already has mine sites lined up for field trials of this machine in North America and northern Europe. This is on top of a planned deployment of six LH518iBs over 2023-2024 in South Australia.

Operators of these machines will benefit from either being able to carry out the battery swap from within the cab or from a remote operating station, Osborne confirmed.

“However, at this stage, there still is a requirement for a person to connect the charging cable and cooling cables,” he said.

“In the future, this will be automated as we are constantly pushing the boundaries further and pioneering new technologies in the mining industry.”

Alongside this, Sandvik is working on battery management systems to enable operators and supervisors to see what level of charge the on-board battery has and the expected time to full charge of spare batteries to enable critical decision-making around when to swap the on-board battery.

The benefits that come with these types of datasets will enable these newly automated battery-electric machines to become potentially the most productive loaders on the market, according to David Hallett, Vice President, Automation at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions.

“Automation and electrification go hand-in-hand,” he said. “The experience we are getting with the battery-electric equipment in the field shows that the performance of those automated machines versus those powered by diesel is already at a higher level.

“Going from drive lines to direct drive onto the wheel ends with battery-electric machines gives us a greater capability to control the equipment compared with what we had in the past. This should allow us to improve the automation of the equipment going forward.”

Bucket filling, as an example, should benefit from the integration of electrification and automation, with the two technologies allowing greater accuracy and consistency of bucket fill times and levels over the diesel-automated equivalent. The improved motion control of the machine from a hydraulics perspective is also another area Hallett highlighted.

He concluded: “These types of improvements are important and tangible benefits to highlight to customers from both an equipment performance perspective and the ability to carry out more remote operations.”

Newmont transitions to Sandvik AutoMine tele-remote ops at Cerro Negro

Newmont says its Cerro Negro underground operations in Argentina have transitioned to tele-remote mode with the implementation of the Sandvik AutoMine® platform.

The transition, completed last year, is part of Newmont’s Full Potential structured and continuous improvement program that began in 2014. This program has since delivered over $4 billion in value, while serving as Newmont’s key vehicle for reducing costs and boosting productivity across its operating sites and functions.

In the company’s recent September quarter results call, Newmont Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Rob Atkinson, confirmed that Cerro Negro had become the first mine in Argentina to implement the AutoMine system for tele-remote underground loading and hauling.

“The implementation of this technology has eliminated safety risks associated with operator exposure underground, has allowed for the recovery of more ore from each of the stopes, has reduced equipment damage, and, really importantly in the Argentinian context, increased underground working time,” he said.

“We’ve had tremendous success with tele-remote operations at our Australian and Canadian underground mines, and this is yet another example of the value added through the rapid replication of leading practices across our global operations.”

Cerro Negro has three high-grade underground operating mines – Eureka, Mariana Central and Mariana Norte – and two underground deposits being developed, Emilia and San Marcos, as well as five other deposits in late-stage evaluation for development to expand the existing operations in the Marianas Complex and establish operations in the Eastern District.

The extensive Cerro Negro complex has several other deposits and exploration targets, including an open-pit mine known as Vein Zone and one cyanide leach processing facility with Merrill Crowe recovery yielding gold recoveries of 90-97%.

Sandvik to equip Movitec with autonomous drilling solution at Codelco Rajo Inca

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has received a large order in Chile for surface mining equipment and its AutoMine® Surface Drilling solution from Movitec, a contractor on Codelco’s Rajo Inca open-pit project.

The order includes two Leopard™ DI650i down-the-hole (DTH) drill rigs and two Sandvik DR412i rotary blasthole drill rigs, including AutoMine® Surface Drilling systems for fully autonomous operations.

AutoMine Surface Drilling is an autonomous solution for a wide range of Sandvik iSeries surface drill rigs, designed to improve safety, reduce costs and increase productivity. It enables an operator to control multiple rigs remotely from a comfortable location in line-of-sight or a distant control room – improving working conditions and safety, Sandvik says.

Sandvik iSeries drill rigs are equipped with iDrill technology, a scalable automation platform that provides automation options and digital services designed to speed up the production process and support mining operations. Performance and navigation iDrill technologies work together to produce accurately placed, consistently clean and precision-drilled holes – delivering improved fragmentation, downstream throughput and asset utilisation.

“We are pleased to work with Movitec and Codelco on this project,” Emilio Vega, Business Line Manager for Automation, Sales Area Andean and South Cone at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said. “The AutoMine Surface Drilling solution will enable the customer to use the drill rigs to their full potential and boost productivity with capabilities for fully autonomous operations.”

The new order also includes one Sandvik D75KX rotary blasthole drill rig with added intelligence and improved operator ergonomics. Delivery will take place in two phases before year-end 2022, with fully autonomous operations ramping up in 2023.

“We thank Movitec for their well-placed confidence in the Sandvik brand and technology,” Patricio Apablaza, Vice President Sales Area Andean and South Cone at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said. “We look forward to supporting them in increasing the safety, productivity, profitability and quality of their operations.”

In addition, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions will also provide contractor Movitec with remote operation training and six months’ on-site service to ramp up support as they transition to autonomous operations.

David Hallett, Vice President Automation at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions’ Digital Mining Technologies Division, said: “We are excited to partner together with Movitec on their journey to adopt AutoMine Surface Drilling at Codelco’s Rajo Inca open-pit project. This project will play a significant role in establishing Sandvik’s position as a leading technology partner for autonomous surface mining within the Chilean and South American market.”

Codelco officially began the works of Rajo Inca last year, moving from underground mining to open-pit mining.

Byrnecut to use six Sandvik 18-t-payload BEVs at OZ Minerals mines

Leading Australia-based contract miner Byrnecut is embracing the many benefits of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) by purchasing six Sandvik battery-powered loaders with AutoMine® for use at OZ Minerals’ operations in South Australia.

Under a deal with Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, Byrnecut will take delivery of the LHDs in 2023 and 2024 for use at the Prominent Hill copper, gold and silver mine, south-west of Coober Pedy, and the Carrapateena copper and gold mine, north of Port Augusta. Byrnecut has been engaged by OZ Minerals to provide underground mining services at the mines and currently has a fleet of Sandvik LH621i loaders equipped with autonomous solutions operating on both sites.

We’re excited to be leading the way with battery-electric vehicles in Australia by putting these six Sandvik loaders into service over the next two years,” Max Woods, Asset Manager for Byrnecut, said. “Not only will the use of electric vehicles significantly improve the working environment underground, but it will also help our customers to work toward their emissions reduction goals – something that is increasingly important in the mining sector.”

Woods says the purchase of the electric loaders is part of Byrnecut’s commitment to explore and embrace new technologies that make its operations safer, more efficient and more sustainable.

“Eliminating emissions from loaders from the underground environment helps us create a better workplace, as does AutoMine technology that enables operators to work from comfortable remote control rooms,” he said.

Another major benefit to Byrnecut is the anticipated increased performance the new loaders could provide, Sandvik says.

The company worked closely with Sandvik prior to purchase to model various application scenarios, including both manual and automated operation.

“We’re expecting the loaders to provide greater throughput in both manual and automated modes while delivering a similar total cost of ownership per tonne delivered to their predecessors,” Woods says.

The new Sandvik loaders are also expected to bring major cost savings across their entire lifecycles, according to Woods. They are likely to require fewer replacement parts than their predecessors, and servicing is also more efficient and simpler.

Sandvik 18-t battery loaders are the most compact on the market, according to the OEM. The powerful electric motors, innovative electric driveline and the smaller tyres on the rear compared with the front, result in a small machine size, high payload with good visibility and unmatched speeds.

Battery machines produce no underground exhaust emissions and significantly less heat than traditional diesel engines, supporting the mines to reach sustainability targets, through reduced CO2 emissions.

Andrew Dawson, Business Line Manager for Load & Haul at Sandvik, praised Byrnecut for helping to pioneer the use of BEVs in Australia.

“The first Sandvik battery-electric loaders only began arriving in the country about a year ago, and the interest has been extremely strong,” he says. “We’re very pleased that Byrnecut and Oz Minerals see the benefits of this technology and is demonstrating it to the rest of the industry. We have always had an excellent working relationship with Byrnecut and look forward to cooperating with them throughout the roll-out and beyond.”

Sandvik’s 65-t payload battery-electric TH665B heading to Electra Mining Africa

Sandvik Mining & Rock Solutions is to have a major presence at this year’s Electra Mining Africa exhibition, with its 385 sq.m indoor stand introducing the African mining market to the OEM’s 65-t payload battery-electric vehicle.

In addition to the appearance of the TH665B, virtual reality (VR) and simulator technology will be employed at the stand to give visitors a highly interactive experience, Sandvik says. Live demonstration of Sandvik’s Eclipse fire suppression system, which can be fitted to the company’s drill rigs, trucks and loaders, will also take place.

Natalie Santiero, Marketing Manager for southern Africa at Sandvik Mining & Rock Solutions, says: “The theme of our stand this year will be the ‘Future of Mining’ and will highlight the many ways in which Sandvik can assist customers to move into the world of the fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). We will also demonstrate how our products can contribute to a sustainable, net-zero future. The mining industry is moving very rapidly along this path and we’re very much a part of the evolution.”

The BEV to be introduced, which will be the biggest piece of equipment on the stand, will be the 65-t payload TH665B. As the largest capacity battery-electric underground truck, this is the flagship of Sandvik’s fast-expanding fleet of BEVs. The machine is at an advanced stage of development with factory testing completed and full-scale trials on a gold mine in Australia (AngloGold Ashanti Australia’s Sunrise Dam mine).

“The truck we’ll be displaying and launching at Electra Mining Africa is, in fact, the machine that will be trialled in Australia,” Santiero says. “Its appearance at the show will represent its African debut. We see the TH665B as being a critical development, given the determination of many mines to move towards emission-free equipment. It is perfectly paired with our 18-t capacity battery-electric LH581B underground loader, which was officially launched last year. A South African gold mine (Gold Fields’ South Deep) has already ordered the LH518B, with delivery expected shortly.”

Sandvik Rock Processing will be showcasing the 800i series of connected cone crushers through a live demonstration of remotely connected units via the digital service SAM. The 800i series comes with Sandvik’s new generation Automation and Connectivity System, which continuously monitors and optimises crusher performance and controls the complete lubrication system, increasing uptime and reliability, the company says.

The My Sandvik portal customer portal, which will also feature on the stand, provides customers with access to information about their fleet, access bulletins and electronic manuals and allows them to request quotations and place orders anytime they need directly online, according to Santiero.

Training, of course, is a major challenge for many mines and Sandvik will have its Digital Driller™, a compact and flexible solution to safely train operators on the company’s drills, at the show. It allows operators to learn their trade with a realistic simulator which optimises the transition to the real machine, according to the company.

Also in the digital space, Sandvik’s AutoMine® VR training simulator will be demonstrated. “This delivers a realistic AutoMine experience for training,” Santiero says. “Visitors to the stand will be able to put on goggles and manipulate hand-held controls to experience and interact with a 3D virtual reality environment to master the complete process of the AutoMine system start-up procedure without the need for machine or production area allocations.”

Apps are an ever-present aspect of modern life and Sandvik’s Rotary Blasthole Drill Selector app will feature at the event. It provides users with a list of recommended drill rigs based upon basic site conditions and production requirement information.

“Newtrax, which has been part of the Sandvik family since 2019, will also have a presence on our stand,” Santiero says. “They will be showcasing the Collision Avoidance System and Operations Management under the OptiMine® banner.”

Santiero concluded: “There’s no question that the 4IR is with us, not just in mining but many other industries. Sandvik is at the forefront of this revolution and its ability to innovate will be demonstrated very strongly at the show. We’ve spent months planning our stand and we believe that it will prove very popular with visitors to the show.”

Electra Mining Africa is due to take place on September 5-9 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Sandvik bolsters Toro underground loader range with the Toro LH307

Sandvik has added a new loader to its rapidly expanding Toro™ family, with the Toro LH307.

In addition to featuring a multitude of design updates and new options to both hardware and software, the Toro LH307 loader also carries more tonnes than its predecessor, the 6.7 t Sandvik LH307, with the new model’s payload capacity increased to 7 t when equipped with the standard 3 cu.m bare lip bucket.

Among the new options designed to improve productivity are, for example, the Sandvik integrated weighing system IWS and traction control, both already available for the larger Sandvik loaders. The integrated weighing system measures the payload when lifting the boom, as well as the number of buckets filled during a shift, and records the results to My Sandvik Digital Services Knowledge Box™. Payload monitoring assists in maximising productivity by optimising loads, reducing overloading and helping to identify training needs. The traction control system reduces wheel slippage when penetrating to the muck pile and filling the bucket, extending tire lifetime and decreasing rubber waste.

As part of upgrading the 7 t loader, specific attention has been applied to digitalisation readiness. The loader has benefitted from control system upgrades, including 7 in touch screen colour display for the operator as standard.

The loader has been designed for use with AutoMine®, Sandvik’s advanced mining automation system for increased safety, productivity and reduced cost. AutoMine integration can be achieved by ordering an optional on-board package for the new loader for immediate autonomous use, or by selecting the automation-readiness option, allowing easy retrofitting of AutoMine later in the loader’s lifetime. Sandvik OptiMine®, also available as an option, delivers descriptive and predictive insights to improve operations and data analytics.

To serve varying customer and country specific needs, two 160 kW engine alternatives are available, both from Volvo Penta. The standard engine is an 8-litre EU Stage III A, capable of operating on diesel fuels with up to 3,000 parts per million sulphur content, whereas the optional EU Stage IV requires ultra-low sulphur diesel fuel.

The Stage III A engine also has an optional passive diesel particulate filter exhaust reduction system. To reduce emissions and consumption of fossil fuel, both engines can also use paraffinic fuel, thereby meeting EN 15940 requirements.