UNDERGROUND Technology increases level of industrial safety and transportation efficiency of mining industry.
Last month, digital mining implementation of information technologies developer Vist Group presented its digital solution for the global market at the eleventh Mining Show, which is the largest mining and quarrying conference and expo for the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and South Asia.
“The industry as a whole saw a slump in 2015 but since then, the sector has recovered, owing to rising commodity prices. The current advancement of intellectual solutions into mining is on average less than 50% globally, and in developing countries, where this industry is most developed – only 25%,” says Vist Group business development director Dmitry Klebanov.
Distribution of solutions with artificial intelligence (AI) can add up to $3-billion to the bottom line, which he notes is promising for development and international expansion.
One of the digital solutions the group introduced is a large-scale model of the Intelligent mine project, where the extraction of solid minerals does not require the presence of people and is carried out by robotic equipment. This technology will increase the level of industrial safety and transportation efficiency of mining enterprises.
In addition, the company demonstrates the operator’s remote workplace, which allows control of mining equipment remotely.
“At the simplest level, such systems are now acting as adjuncts to manned vehicles in providing, for example, location information, collision warning, or driver enhancements. At a more complex level, a number of automated machines for hauling, excavation and loading are being introduced. At the level of a complete mine, it makes it possible to exert overall coordinated control of individuals, vehicles and systems in the mine,” he notes.
In a strategic partnership with Finnish company Finnish Zyfra Oy, the company is also developing AI and Internet of Things-based solutions for heavy industries. The company now operates in Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus. It also plans to start sales in Vietnam, Indonesia, India and Chile in 2019, and in 2020 – in South Africa.