Autonomous solutions specialist RCT has been selected by Redpath Australia as its preferred technology partner at its recently awarded new underground operation, Rothsay gold mine in Western Australia.
RCT will commission its advanced autonomous technology ControlMaster® Guidance Automation with the latest Auto Dump feature onto three Sandvik LH203 underground loaders to operate in the planned narrow-vein underground mine.
RCT will install two ControlMaster® Automation Centres complete with Multiple Machine Control (MMC) capabilities enabling a single machine operator to manage the loader fleet from either the mine’s surface or secure work zones within the mine.
RCT Mining Account Manager Scott Phillips said they are pleased to implement the latest autonomous offering and put the operation on a pathway to full mine digitalisation.
“Guidance Automation with MMC is an ideal solution for this site as it will allow Redpath to leverage from RCT’s latest digital and automation features, increase productivity of their operators and loader fleet all whilst reducing damage associated with remote production when operating in very narrow drives.
“The plan to utilise RCT’s Surface Control Solution will allow Redpath to stay productive and capture the lost time during shift change and firing usually associated with underground remoting.”
Redpath Australia Managing Director Gavin Ramage has commented: “Redpath Australia look forward to partnering with RCT, in delivering semi-autonomous solutions to our underground project at Rothsay Gold Mine in Western Australia.”
“Automation is an important innovation component of our business as it allows productivity to remain consistent across shift change and firing.”
“The adoption of emerging technology such as this reinforces our commitment towards the implementation of our ‘technology roadmap’ over the next three years.”
RCT has recently completed a project at an underground mine located in a remote part of the Northern Territory in Australia.
The gold mine’s fleet of 17 Atlas Copco MT6020 underground haul trucks are now equipped with RCT’s Muirhead® Fuel Cap Isolation system to prevent incidents when refuelling.
This popular protection system helps clients to eliminate damage to refuelling bays and save money in downtime costs associated with operators accidentally driving off with the nozzle still attached.
The implementation of the Fuel Cap Isolation system is just another way of safeguarding operators.
RCT has developed a monitoring system to improve underground mining operations at a gold mine in Western Australia’s Goldfields.
The miner approached RCT’s Kalgoorlie-based staff to develop a way to monitor the project’s ore passes to ensure they did not get blocked by larger rocks during the transfer of material.
The ore passes—which are now used to dump waste—are vertical chutes used by the project’s Epiroc MT6020 haul trucks to dump material to backfill an old stope.
RCT subsequently developed the ore pass monitoring system consisting of a VEGAPULS 69 radar which spans the 91m deep pass and a VEGAMET 391 measurement display to indicate at what depth a blockage may occur.
The display was designed to use its readings to control an associated traffic lamp assembly on the wall of the mine to advise mine staff whether material had been successfully transferred.
Once the system was implemented the mining company introduced a procedure for operators to ensure the traffic lamps changed back to green after tipping to indicate the pass is clear of material.
RCT’s technicians also installed a suppression field in the first 20m of the ore pass and directly above it to stop sharp edges in the pass bouncing echoes and falsely tripping the sensor.
RCT Kalgoorlie Branch Manager Rick Radcliffe said the monitoring system can significantly reduce the downtime associated with blocked ore passes.
“If the pass becomes blocked then operators may not notice until the entire pass is filled up with material and at that point it will take a significant amount of time to clear the pass,” he said.
“The monitoring system ensures blockages are identified and cleared immediately.”