Roadmap Part IV & V

In the past few installments of our Mine Digitization and Automation series, we’ve embarked on a tour through the five levels of our strategic roadmap, and passed through Levels 1 through 3, and upon completion of Level 3, all information and data has become available for real-time tracking, assisting tremendously with communications and decision support.?

So, what now? And what is the future state? This brings us to Level 4 – Automate, and Level 5 – Transform.?

The Automate level is fairly straightforward, with your view of what is taking place underground about as transparent as if you were at the face. Now you can optimize the real-time data you are receiving, with the human error factor of manually inputting data effectively removed via an automated collection of information like:

• Sensors that automatically track fuel consumption, load volumes, and tire pressure monitoring
• Telemetry units that obtain direct equipment data.?
• Sensors that provide collision alerts

With effective change management and experience with the new systems, much of the data that may previously have been a concern during shift hand-offs is already shared, allowing shift supervisors to focus on safety, production quality, and even planning mentoring and coaching during the shift.?

Crews should be communicating effectively, and information about heading status and what happened on the previous shift is informed by data AND information collected by operators. At this point, you are 9-12 months into your Roadmap.?

Level 5 – the Transform level – is a future where advanced analytics are introduced, AI decision-making and predictive maintenance take shape, and overall transformation is?evident. But this “future” is NOW, 12-15 months into your transformation.?

In this future:

- Your mine reaches a safe maximization of mining intensity as operators and supervisors experience reduced variability and can complete the right work at the right time, in the right way, without a need for additional headcount or equipment.

- Safety is integral to the optimization plan, and safety mandates and operational capacity are intertwined.

- Supervisors review automatically generated digital shift plans at the beginning of every shift on their computer or tablet and use this accurate info to establish shift goals according to plan, or clear delays and makeup production losses.

While many people fear automation, the human element always remains, and adjustments can be made to recommended plans based on a supervisor’s specialized knowledge or experience. But supervisors are able to assign equipment and personnel to specific tasks based on known available resources, but AI could make the assignments or provide suggestions on historical assignment data.?

What is certain is that lineup efficiency and accuracy are beyond anything that would have been possible with handwritten instruction cards, and with shift plan information distributed to everyone digitally via line-out monitors, tablets, and apps, everybody goes underground with the same information, knowing the status, avoiding standby and confusion.??

Meanwhile, in the Operations Center that has been set up to monitor progress, necessary adjustments can be made over the course of the shift as progress versus plan data is instantly analyzed, variances are detected, and tasks are modified accordingly. Upon completion of the shift, leadership reviews progress, and planned tasks can be reprioritized with respect to production progress, losses, and downs & delays.?

At the Transform level, leaders have the tools to utilize agile thinking, and conducting data reviews together leads to better decisions and increased inter-department communication, promoting collaboration and breaking down workforce silos.?

This is all within your grasp if you choose to leverage existing technology and sound change management principles through the right vendor.?

Today, most companies are either somewhere between Level 3 and Level 4 of the roadmap…or have not yet entered Level 1. There is room for everyone under the roadmap tent, as long as there is a willingness to take the first steps.

In our experience, you will wonder why you waited.?

We hope you’ve been inspired, and we invited you to join us again next week for our Mine Digitization and Automation series.?