Underground connectivity in platinum-group metals (PGMs) operations in South Africa is expected to increase, assisting the struggling sector in predicting failures before they take place, thereby reducing the impact on operations, says mining equipment and services provider Sandvik Mining & Rock Technology.

Greater adoption of underground connectivity is required to develop smart mines in the PGMs mining industry, placing operations in a position to be sustainable for the long term, states Sandvik Mining & Rock Technology key account manager Neil McCoy.

Speaking to Mining Weekly in August, McCoy highlighted that, amid tough times for the local platinum mining industry, technology has become a major driver in reducing costs and facilitating improved productivity, with the company assisting in this regard through the strides it is making in mechanisation.

“Platinum miners need to realise the advantage of employing underground connectivity methods through mechanised mining, automation strategies, digitalisation or the Internet of Things as this will decrease the cost of mining at a later stage and improve productivity to boost profitability,” he adds.

He further mentions that, by using information technologies, mining companies are able to ‘take the roof off’ an underground mine, giving them a live view much like a surface miner would have of the openpit.

While typical platinum orebodies do not readily lend themselves to automation, owing to their low profile, narrow nature and constantly expanding footprint, McCoy explains that having information on the real-time functioning of operations by connecting mining equipment to a central network, mining companies can manage operations more easily and efficiently.

This will be realised through mining management being able to respond to events sooner or before they take place, and improve the rate of production.

“Ensuring connectivity will also help increase the safety of mine employees, while addressing the skills gap in the platinum mining industry at an entry and management level, as a result of them having tools to guide them in understanding their operation.”

Despite the popular belief that mechanised mining will lead to job losses, McCoy says it will rather generate new employment and learning opportunities. Sandvik promotes a progressive way of introducing technologies in a mining operation, including PGM projects, to facilitate the change management process.

“As an operation grows, the maturity of the management systems grows along with information management requirements; they move from implementation to steady state production to operational improvements,” he explains.

further mentions that this introduction starts with basic building blocks and, once the operational and support crew understands how to support the related infrastructure and systems that provide information, Sandvik assists them in taking the next step to further increase efficiency and skills development.

Providing mine managers with the appropriate tools to achieve efficiency and improve skills development, Sandvik offers technical, operator and supervisory training, as well as its AutoMine and OptiMine software solutions, says McCoy.

Launched in 2004, these systems are continuously being developed and upgraded, and significantly improve productivity and safety, while lowering the total cost of ownership.

“AutoMine is a full automation product and ranges from tele-remote operations to the full autonomous operation of an entire fleet, while OptiMine is an operations management tool that provides basic equipment monitoring and location tracking, as well as task and process management,” McCoy adds.

Sandvik also provides aftermarket services, namely its free data-monitoring product which allows for information to be collected on the customer’s behalf to generate reports on machine efficiency and productivity.

“These systems enable managers to manage their mechanised operations more efficiently and provides them with a fundamental understanding of mechanised operations, as well as an appreciation of what the equipment can do,” McCoy enthuses.

He concludes that various new PGM projects see the value of these types of automation and information management tools and include them in the design phase of their mines. “They plan to have these tools included from the start to ensure they deliver world-class performance.”