Mining and haulage
The future mine includes autonomous and electrified haulage, with approaches to mining selected with a systems-thinking approach. Mine-to-mill simulations and selective mining techniques will support mine plans optimised for lower energy consumption, lower waste volumes and maximised revenue.
Simulation and technology developments in extraction and haulage
Sedgman has partnerships with experts in blasting, mining, ore sorting, mechanical cutting equipment and haulage. Our collaborative approach and expertise in mine-to-mill simulation can support identifying optimised mining and processing approaches. Emerging themes in extraction and haulage include:
- More selective mining through precision mining and mechanical cutting equipment
- The impact of selective mining on downstream elements, including reduced top size (reduced top size and comminution energy demand, and reduced tailings volumes)
- Simulating mining to mill as a system, to allow optioneering to determine the optimum approach to mining, ore sorting and mill sizing for maximised NPV (net present value) and minimised emissions.
- Use of hydrogen/electrification in haulage to reduce emissions
- Autonomous haulage, removing people from high-risk environments.
Enabling technologies will be available across current, short and long-term timeframes:
Current focus:
- Mine-to-mill
- Mine plan optimisation
- High intensity blasting
- In pit crushing and conveying
- Optimised blast fragmentation
Short-term focus:
- Mechanical cutting
- Selective/precision mining
- Predictive sampling/measure while drill ore body identification
- Autonomous haulage
- Electrification of haulage
- In-pit bulk ore sorting systems
Long-term focus:
- Hydraulic hoisting
- Hydrogen hybrid vehicles