The Intelligent Mine

Abstract

Mining is commonly seen as a typical basic industry with rough and even dangerous working conditions, heavy environmental load, and a low level of high-technology and automation with much manual work and operations.A mining operation (open pit or underground) is a very complex one consisting of many manual, physical, mechanical and logistical operations with different human interfaces and decisions. For this reason it is a demanding and potential area for all applications of automation and information technology: controlling difficult non-linear, timevarying multivariable processes and machines; solving of ergonomic safety and environmental problems; automation of logistical systems; applying robotics, mechatronics, and information handling, etc. In addition to that, big economic sums are involved with these operations.On the other hand, automation technology has developed towards intelligent and adaptive systems including some from above-mentioned and subfields of automation, and connecting them with modern information and communication technologies makes the idea of an intelligent and unmanned mine more and more feasible in the near future.This requires intensive co-operation and co-ordination between the mining industry and manufacturers of mining machinery. This has been successfully accomplished in the 5 year Intelligent Mine research and development program in Finland.The basic elements of an intelligent mine concept are:-mine-wide information and data acquisition system-high-speed two-directional mine-wide communication network for real-time monitoring and control-computerized information management, mine planning, control and maintenance systems-automated and tele-operated machinery and equipment which are connected to the information system-links to the public information networksThe degree of automation of an intelligent mine depends on many technical and economical factors. The basic precondition for such an approach is that it will improve the total economy of the mine.