IoT and Digitalization to Make Mining Operations Safe, Secured, and Smart

Smart mining is a process that uses modern technology to enhance the safety measures and reduce operational costs in a mining site. It paves the way for better productivity as well. Smart mining components and equipment find their applications in both underground and surface mining. Incorporation of smart technologies in underground mining has improved the on-site working conditions in more than one way.  Mining corporations have started focusing on improving productivity by providing revolutionary software & solutions; and smart mining has proven to be a boon in this regard. It also includes remote-controlled robotic equipment for mineral & metal extraction, which is often referred as telerobotic mining.

IoT to play an important role

As companies adopt IoT, its capacity to collect environmental data and analyse important equipment in real-time has transformed the mining industry indeed. Many mining companies have also initiated to make partnership with IoT experts and smart solutions providers in order to improve the overall efficiency. Companies are deploying connected worker solutions and basically transforming the mining concept while enhancing the overall safety standards

Safety Measures for the workers

The safety issues of the workers should always be given prime importance. The risks involved in any mining operations include the inability to monitor workers’ health, poor visibility, toxic gases, and hazardous surroundings. Smart wearables and gas detection sensors have come up with the potential to detect flammable and toxic gas present in the environment. These sensors are enabled with alerts so that if there is any threat in the mining site the workers are notified immediately and the ventilation & airflow are kept optimized accordingly.

IoT plays a significant role in ensuring workers’ safety in far-flung locations and extreme environments. Wearables like smart helmets, wrist bands and smart vests can lower health risks by constantly keeping a track of vital signs, cardiac activities and real-time locations. For instance, from certain applications on their mobile devices, administrators at mining sites can receive relevant alerts through emails, SMSes, or in-app notifications. This helps them respond to critical problems that are occurring in real-time.

Smart Mining Resource Centre by Axora

Axora has recently launched an online smart mining resource centre. This will provide the latest industry insights and access to digital solutions and technologies which mining companies can adopt to accelerate their business growth. Axora is also conducting a survey that will investigate the impact of Covid-19 on digital innovation and home-working practices in the mining industry. Axora is also about to use blockchain technology to host more than 120 innovative solutions in the industry. The entire concept has been developed by a team of industry experts, engineers and entrepreneurs including the Boston Consulting Group. The new technologies can connect seamlessly with digital transformation efforts, integrating data analytics, AI, and machine learning into smart mines’ centralised systems.

According to Allied Market Research, the global smart mining market is expected to grow at a significant CAGR from 2020 to 2027. Asset-intensive industries like oil & gas, energy, construction and manufacturing are increasingly adopting IoT solutions to conduct their operations more efficiently and effectively.

Mining companies are attempting various methods to overcome challenges that would help the companies survive and thrive in the era of modernization. Mining is one of the industries in which workers have to work under extreme conditions as per the set requirements. And, to ensure the overall safety, there is an urgent need to install underground monitoring and control systems. Modern society is moving toward a safe and clean work environment as a social need. And here, the concept of smart mining reinforces the cause yet more.

Related Post