Mining Robotics

Abstract

Mining is the process of extracting mineral resources from the Earth for commercial value. It is an ancient human activity which can be traced back to Palaeolithic times (43000 years ago), where for example the mineral hematite was mined to produce the red pigment ochre. The importance of many mined minerals is reflected in the names of the major milestones in human civilizations: the stone, copper, bronze, and iron ages. Much later coal provided the energy that was critical to the industrial revolution and still underpins modern society, creating 38% of world energy generation today. Ancient mines used human and later animal labor and broke rock using stone tools, heat, and water, and later iron tools. Todayʼs mines are heavily mechanized with large diesel and electrically powered vehicles, and rock is broken with explosives or rock cutting machines (Fig. 49.1). Open image in new window Fig. 49.1 Evolution of mining technology