In the modern world of mining, technology improvements create new possibilities for productivity levels that may previously have seemed unattainable.
Advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous vehicles and smart sensors are being tested and adopted by the industry to help reduce risk and make gains in operational efficiency.
So what are some of the most important historic, current and emerging technologies? And how might they be used in conjunction with highly skilled personnel to bring mining into the future?
Let’s start at the beginning and explore the relationship between technology and mining and its history.
A quick history: advances in technology in mining
The core objective of mining, to safely extract minerals from the Earth’s surface, has not changed significantly since many thousands of years ago — the world’s oldest known underground mine dates back as far as 40,000 years in Eswatini/Swaziland. But how companies achieve this goal has changed dramatically in the past two centuries.
Here’s a brief history of mining technologies through the ages and how they brought about significant change.
Ancient periods
Mining in ancient times relied entirely on hand tools and physical effort — using picks, hammers and other tools made of stone. There was only the most basic equipment to support miners’ efforts. It would be thousands of years before even the most primitive machines would be invented.
Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages, the use of fire was discovered as a more efficient way to clear tunnels. A fire would be set at the rock face, where heat from the flames weakened the rock and created fractures.
This method later evolved into the introduction of explosives in the form of black powder, which is thought to have first been used in China before being adopted by Western mining operations shortly thereafter.
This was followed by a period of rapid advancement in the industry as better methods for drilling (which up to now was still being done using a hammer and wedged drill bit) and more efficient placements for explosives were found.
19th century
The 19th century saw the effects of the Industrial Revolution on mining. Dynamite replaced simple black powder as the explosive of choice, and the first mechanical drills were invented.
A variety of drill designs were created by innovators across the globe, some designs powered by compressed air, others by rotary steam-driven engines or mechanical pistons.
Eventually the pneumatic hammer drill emerged as the preferred design, and this design continued to be optimised and improved as materials and engineering methods advanced.
20th century
The 20th century the advent of mining machinery as we know it today. The first heavy duty conveyor belts and coal loading mechanisms were introduced around the turn of the century, and they greatly increased productivity versus hand and shovel loading methods. In the 1930s, battery-powered lamps replaced the flammable acetylene gas lamps.
In the latter half of the 20th century, advances in computing and engineering made for smarter, bigger and more powerful machinery which in turn drove productivity and efficiency to new heights, a trend which continues into the present day.
Today’s world: using technology to mine smarter
With modern technology, the applications for mining are seemingly endless. Surface mining operations can be done with greater efficiency and speed thanks in part to powerful modern crushing and grinding machines. Underground, smart sensors can provide real time data about conditions, as well as reducing machine downtime and failures and having a positive impact on safety.
Using tech to improve planning, safety and operations
In exploration, detailed 3-D models make for more efficient planning and modelling of drilling projects. Data and analytics provide the potential for production to be analysed and adjusted in real time. And equipment with autonomous or semi-autonomous controls is increasingly being adopted for its benefits to safety and reductions to labour costs.
But there are also other considerations, such as discovering more sustainable mining methods. Many of the technological improvements seen in modern mining need to be implemented not only to improve efficiency and productivity, but also with the objectives of reducing environmental impact and increasing the recycling of waste products throughout the project lifecycle.
Emerging and latest mine site technologies
Some of the latest innovations being tested and applied include Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR and AR), technologies which have many applications in modelling and mine planning. This technology can be used for the planning of wells and boreholes and could mean there is less requirement to break ground with exploratory drilling.
In the future, mine sites be more connected, using a combination of IoT-enabled equipment that is connected by the (IoT) with robotics and machine learning to increase safety and minimise risk.
If you’d like to learn more about some of these innovations, check out our smart mining article.
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If you have a mine project management requirement in Queensland, get in touch with us today for an initial discussion about how we can assist your company.
