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Introduction |
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The Mining Automation Program in Canada, a research partnership
between industry and government, is focusing upon answering
the fundamental question: Is it feasible to consider the mining
of an ore-body without human presence in the workings? This
partnership comprises Inco Ltd., Tamrock OY, Dyno Explosives
Group and CANMET.
The fundamental
engineering and technology requirements for such an endeavor
include:
o Telecommunications
o Positioning
o Navigation (Guidance, Collision
Avoidance)
o Equipment (heavy machinery etc.)
o Software (Command and Control)
o Electronics (hardened to operate
in a harsh environment)
o Mining engineering (drilling,
stoping, deep mines), and
o Organisation (Management)
o Sensors (remote, tactile, vision)
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Some
Definitions |
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Remote Operations: telemining, operation of an equipment
from a remote out of line-of-sight location (control station can
be above ground and kilometers away),
o Equipment Automation:
addition of a technology to a machine that enhances the productivity
of the operator e.g. a guidance system which allows a Load-Haul-Dump
vehicle (LHD) to drive by itself freeing the operator for other
tasks (Figures 1, 2 and 3),
o Robotic Mining: a mine
process which combines the use of Remote Operations (with some
automation), Positioning, Process Engineering, Monitoring and
Control |
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Why
Robotic Mining? |
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There
are many reasons both economic and human. Some include the following:
o The cost of putting a human in
a mining environment continues to rise;
o The cost of capital machinery continues
to rise;
o More than 20% of a miner?s time
is consumed in travel to and from the work site and accordingly
the equipment is under-utilized;
o It offers the opportunity to operate
in new areas, enhance mine design and implement new machinery.
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Some
Design Requirements |
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Advanced
Communications Systems:
o The entire radio communications
spectrum is available underground (CRTC regulations do not apply).
However, VLF, LF and MF will penetrate rock but have very low
capacity;
o Provision of control systems which
allow remote operation of mining equipment and systems;
o Must support "open" computer
communications at very high speed & low cost;
o Computer Integrated Manufacturing
methods can apply to underground mining (only difference is that
in mining the machines have to be mobile!);
o Use of cellular technology and
CATV cable systems for transmission of high speed data, voice
and video. |
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Positioning
and Navigation Systems:
o Can such a system be designed to
work in a harsh mining environment?
o What accuracy is required?
o How can the system be integrated
for robotic mining?
o To what software system can a positioning
system be linked to (e.g. mapping, underground GIS etc.)?
o Can one enhance the operation of
low cost systems to provide the accuracy of expensive systems
(e.g. Gyro-based)?
o Alternative solutions to both positioning
and navigating underground must be explored. |
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Robotic
Operations:
o
Robotic Drifting: the main functions to be remotely operated
are the following:
o Engineering
and Surveying
o Drift
drilling using a Jumbo
o Jumbo
hole loading (with explosives)
o Remote
initiation (firing the explosives)
o Robotic
mucking (using LHD?s)
o Roadbed
conditioning (to enable equipment to move around)
o Drift
conditioning |
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NOTE:
The development of robust sensors, sensing systems and sensor
fusion is a key requirement for Robotic Operations.
Robotic Production: techniques similar to those
used in robotic drifting apply here to address bulk stoping.
They must successfully deal with the following functions:
o Engineering
and surveying
o Stope
drilling with long-hole machines
o Longhole
loading techniques for explosives
o Remote
firing (initiation)
o Robotic
mucking (LHD?s) |
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What
is the Impact of Robotic Mining? |
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Robotic
mining technology and techniques offer a number of unique challenges
and some positive benefits. On-line information about geology
(geophysical, geomechanical and geochemical), production rates
and quality will provide a significant advance in mine engineering
planning and logistics. Current methods will need to be refined
and cost efficiencies will make costly mining methods more profitable
through the use of robotic techniques. |
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Robotic
mining will allow around the clock operation of a mine and faster
removal rates of ore will need to be assessed in terms of risk
and reward. Robotic mining also allows narrower openings and
deeper mining operations to remain profitable. With no humans
present, there will be no need for sophisticated air circulatory
systems. The bottom line impacts will include:
o Increased
safety
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Increased productivity
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Increased equipment utilization and the redeployment of capital
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Time-efficient operations
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Reduced need for maintenance of mine systems
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Faster reaction to engineering and maintenance issues
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Improved mine cash-flows, and
o Improved
throughput times. |
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The
Project |
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The
project will entail the design, or changes to the existing design,
of an Autonomous Load Haul Dump Vehicle (A-LHD). |
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Typical of such vehicles as that shown above. |
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The
Objectives |
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There
are basically two global objectives for this type of student
project, namely:
o To enable the student to learn
something useful, and
o To enable the student to design
something useful.
Accordingly, the key objectives of this Project will be to:
o Redesign the LHD to the advanced
A-LHD configuration which will entail the use of state-of-the-art
engineering technologies and, at the same time,
o Be responsive to the needs of
the Canadian Mining Sector (i.e. the project will be industry-relevant):
Some of the state-of-the-art technologies likely to be involved
include:
o Telecommunications: Possible
use of CATV cable and cellular communications underground and
above ground for remotely operating the A-LHD. Other means of
communications e.g. use of IR should also be explored.
o Positioning: This is a crucial
aspect for all mining operations. The need to know where the
work face is, in relation to some given datum point in 3-dimensions,
is key to all operations including emergency recovery operations.
o Navigation: The A-LHD must have
reliable Guidance, Navigation and Collision Avoidance Systems
for autonomous operations.
NOTE: Positioning
and Navigation will be combined as one activity for this Project
o Equipment: The current design
of the LHD has not changed for many decades. Is the existing
design optimum for autonomous operations? Can it be modified
to enhance its autonomous capabilities through the application
of new heavy machinery design methodologies?
o Software: Robust and fault-tolerant
software must be available for Command and Control of all underground
operations including remote operations of the A-LHD.
o Electronics: The underground
environment is very harsh (high temperatures, humidity, dust
particles, static charges etc.) and all computers and electronic
hardware must be hardened to operate in this harsh environment.
o Mining engineering: This includes
the underground mining operations (drilling, stoping, shoring,
mucking, operating in deep mines etc.) within which the A-LHD
must operate by itself with minimum human interaction
o Sensor Development: This includes
the development of sensors for geo-sensing (sensors embedded
in the drills to detect the type of rock/ore/strata the drill
is going through), artificial vision for manipulating the A-LHD
scoop and for obstacle/collision avoidance etc.
o Project Management: A vital aspect
of any project to ensure that all schedules, tasks and problems
are being met and dealt with efficiently and collectively.
For the
purposes of this Project the Mining Engineering aspect will
not be included but the students will be expected to have some
knowledge of these operations and their impact on the design
of the A-LHD. |
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Project
Organization |
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Figure
4 overleaf shows the current component and sub-component breakdown
of the LHD.
Discussions
with the students indicated that their interests lay in tackling
the following areas:
o Integration
o Visualization
o Structures
o Drive Train
o Fuel Cell
o Guidance and Navigation
o Proof-of-Concept |
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Systems 
