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Mining Automation Program

The Technologies Developed Through It and What They Could Mean to Future Automation Developments for the Drilling, Blasting and Hauling Process in the Aggregate Industry

Author:  Lawrence Mirabelli, Dyno Nobel, Inc.

Presented to the National Aggregates Association - National Stone Association & the US Geophysical Survey

Abstract:

On January 1st 1996, Inco Limited, Tamrock OY, Dyno Nobel and CANMET formed a consortium for the development of robotic mining equipment called the "Mining Automation Program" or MAP.  This project has been a five [5] year research and development agreement that combined the talents of the above organizations to facilitate the creation of mining equipment and systems for teleremote mining.  The year 2000 brings MAP to conclusion with actual production process testing of the prototype equipment and systems that have been developed [between May and October].

MAP consists of multiple projects all of which are based on the communication system developed by Inco Mines Research and currently sold and marketed by Automated Mining Systems Limited.  Main projects include the development of a positioning and navigation module (including software mapping system that will be inherent to each piece of equipment), robotic systems for underground development and stoping operations, as well as software systems to support the use of this equipment.  Included in the program were the establishment of a test mine, at Inco's 175 orebody at Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada.  This facility allowed for the collaboration of companies and research organizations for the design and testing of techniques and equipment to mine with TeleminingTM .  Some of the prototype equipment which have been developed through the program are:  a teleoperated drilling jumbo, a teleoperated load haul and dump [LHD] tram, a teleoperated production drill, a remote initiation system for programming and detonation of electronic detonators, and the development of an variable energy bulk emulsion explosive system including loading equipment to deliver the explosive to boreholes.

In spite of MAP's obvious focus on underground metal mining and not quarrying, there is no doubt that much of what has been accomplished at MAP can have application to future automation developments in the drilling, blasting and hauling processes in the aggregate industry.  The increase in interest for aggregate producers to consider underground quarrying as a possible alternative where domestic encroachment and public relation concerns exist, make some of the MAP developments directly applicable.  Also understanding the difficulties of communication alone 1 - 2 miles underground, it is easily realized that open pit communications and automation should be easily achievable through "spin off" projects from the technologies developed.
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