The mining industry is evolving quickly, with automation and analytics at the centre of the conversation. But as orebodies recede, and as more mining operations make their way underground, productivity demands are coming up against new safety issues.
How do we keep our people out of harm’s way as they move further underground with more sophisticated equipment? How can we look after the structural stability and air quality of the work environment, whilst making mines stronger from a performance standpoint? How will our health and safety decisions impact the surrounding communities and ecology?
Mining and METS companies have no choice but to dig deep on these questions, and to stay current on the latest health and safety developments. Such as:
Wearable tech
A huge number of safety gains are coming out of wearable tech, and the list of potential applications grows longer all the time. For starters, lightweight Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) tags allow command centres to accurately monitor and track the movement of people and equipment underground, in real-time. This alone is a transformational development, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Motion detection protocols can tell when someone has been still for a period of time (e.g. 60 seconds) and alert nearby personnel that assistance is needed. Gas detection hardware can be integrated into helmets to warn workers of unsafe air quality as they move through the site. Cooling vests and other wearables can help regulate body temperature – a common issue in warm underground mining environments.
The concept of wearable tech extends to equipment monitoring, which allows for key predictive maintenance measures that reduce the probability of surprises and accidents. The underground mine of the future is safer because the people and assets inside the mine are fitted with wearable tech.
Vibration control and mine development
Vibration monitoring and control is another critical safety issue below ground. There are two major safety developments worth mentioning on this front. First, microseismic monitoring allows operators to monitor ground vibrations and predict microquakes with increasing accuracy.
This technology has been around for a while, but it’s getting better. ESG solutions, a Canadian company with offices in Brisbane, offers a solution called RockMap Live™. It may sound like a ticket sales platform for heavy metal concerts, but it’s actually a system for assessing rock mass and seismic risk. A combination of sensors and analytic software allows for detailed stress mapping, safer protocols for re-entry, and better blast engineering.
Speaking of blast engineering, the latest digital blasting hardware offers unprecedented control over the timing, force, and structural effects of every blast event. The Daveytronic UG offers built-in protections against dynamic pressure and electromagnetic pulse, in addition to permanent testing procedures that continue until a firing order is given. Multi-blast functionality can deliver mass production blasts that limit downtime, reduce the number of blast days, and bring greater predictability to the underground development and tunnelling process.
A new era of safe and productive mining
Automation and other high-tech developments are exciting to watch, especially for those of us who have been in the industry a while. There are things happening now that no one would have imagined thirty years ago, and the next decade promises to revolutionise the efficiency and precision of underground mining.
But the industry cannot evolve any faster than its standards of health and safety. Ultimately, there can be no meaningful difference between safety-related and strategic decisions.
Removing people from the most dangerous aspects of underground mining is a clear advantage from a safety standpoint, but other considerations (e.g. environmental and community impact) will come into play as new types of automation develop.
For now, the expertise and presence of workers is paramount to the success of underground mining operations – and so is their safety. The 2020 Underground Operators Conference in Perth (25-27 March, Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre) has a number of sessions dedicated to safety. We look forward to seeing you there, and digging deeper into the latest safety developments.
