Mining Weekly

Company Announcement - Mining companies across North America are focusing their investments towards a range of vehicle-related technologies in the next two years, finds Timetric’s Mining Intelligence Center. In a recently conducted survey, respondents were asked to outline their attitudes and plans towards investing in a range of mine-site technologies in the coming two years. The results from over 100 mine managers and other senior decision-makers from operations throughout the United States and Canada show a growing focus on vehicle-related technologies.

Respondents were asked to outline the state of their investments across 12 different mine-site technologies, including a range of mine-management and vehicle-related technologies which are used at an operational level. This includes: environmental monitoring and emissions management, communication products/systems, fleet management, and collision avoidance technologies.

Whilst a large share have already invested sufficiently in mine management-related technologies, there is far more scope for investment in vehicle-related technologies, both from those that have already made some investments and those yet to invest at all. The greatest share of respondents, with a total of 57%, are planning investments towards collision avoidance systems, followed by fatigue management (56%), real time video training (50%), remote control/machine automation (49%) and fleet management with 47%. Technologies such as collision avoidance and fatigue management enable mines to improve equipment utilisation by minimising downtime, and the provision of a safer working environment.

Nez Guevara, Senior Mining Analyst at Timetric’s MIC says: “Even though mines are cutting costs and focusing on productivity, safety is still paramount. This is shown through the intentions to invest in vehicle-related technologies such as collision avoidance and fatigue management. These improvements will bring about a much safer working environment.”