SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT
optimal price/performance ratio, achieving accuracies of up to 0.5%. Stockyard management systems
(SMS) is another mining process that benefits from digitalisation. In this case, digitalisation can streamline, automate and simplify the scheduling, control, monitoring and documentation of material handling and storage. Effectively, an SMS combines stockpile management and material tracking to improve efficiency and give mining operators total visibility of their assets. Stockpile management is only a part of the material handling in the plant, but linking it digitally to combine all loading, unloading and transport processes enables a virtual model of all the material handling. It consolidates automatic process control at the PLC/DCS level with a management system at the IT level. This combination of stockpile
management and advanced PLC automation enables fully automatic operation of the stockyard because every job parameter – schedule, pile location, material parameters, pile height, flow rate, etc. – can be planned
in the SMS system. Digitalisation in this case can deliver fully automatic machine positioning in compliance with the anti-collision functions, a fully automatic stacking operation, automated management of material blending and a fully automatic reclaiming operation with material quality monitoring. The same digitalisation principles
can be applied to other essential mining tasks, such as train loading systems (TLS). But digitalisation doesn’t just radically improve day-to- day operations: it can help to plan for the future, too!
MODEL MINES A huge benefit of digitalisation is its ability to let us explore different scenarios virtually before we build them in reality. These virtual models are referred to as digital twins. They offer the ability to try out new concepts, such as different equipment configurations, before committing to investment. This saves money by preventing poor development, makes engineering decisions easier, and
Digitalisation enables automation and streamlines mining processes
gives confidence that the project can be delivered effectively without any unforeseen impacts. A further key benefit of the digital
twin is as a training tool. It can be used to train operatives in a controlled environment without disruption to normal operations and in total safety. Digital twins also play a key role
during operation and maintenance. They hold all the data about every piece of plant and equipment, and can be used to analyse the existing design and suggest improvements. In one real-life example, a mining
operator was experiencing issues with belt flip on a tripper car. Wind shields had been installed but they proved ineffective. The real operational data combined with digital simulations, enabled the operator to analyse the airflow and forces being applied to the belt by the wind. Based on this analysis, the team was able to work with the equipment supplier to identify effective ways to reduce the forces by up to 60%, dramatically reducing the likelihood of further belt flip incidents.
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