Efficiency and productivity have increased significantly at a Western Australian Gold and Copper mine thanks to the implementation of RCT’s Digital, Autonomous technology across its mobile mining fleet.
The site was no stranger to RCT’s state-of-the-art autonomous solution, having benefitted from our analogue technology for many years before the latest upgrade.
The decision to transform operations was made to future proof themselves with RCT’s latest digital solution.
The project involved transitioning a mixed machine fleet consisting of three existing Sandvik 514 loaders and two 1700 CAT loaders. The technology upgrade utilises RCT’s Connect - the full-scale digital communications solution that is designed to meet the demands of autonomous machines in real-time for both existing and future fleet needs.
“RCT’s innovative technology ensures all remote loaders on site can operate autonomously now and well into the future,” said RCT Account Manager, Scott Phillips.
As well as improved operating efficiencies, the upgrade in technology has enabled operators to remote from the mine’s surface.
While the technology implementation is still relatively new, a spokesperson from the mine said there have been a myriad of benefits so far.
“Managing the fleet from the surface or "hot seating" has boosted production. Capturing the lost time from shift change and continued operations over firing has tangibly improved our remote productivity,” said the mine site’s spokesperson.
“In addition to this, the digital system is proving to be a very reliable and easy to manage solution,” they added.
The changes have been well-received by our operators with improved picture quality following the digital upgrade.
RCT’s digital solution also paves the way for multiple machine control which was also a deciding factor for the upgrade.
“This particular mine site is known for its long production drives so having one operator operate multiple machines simultaneously will allow the operation to dramatically increase productivity – it’s the perfect scenario,” said Mr Phillips.
“This progressive mine site is now set up to introduce RCT’s latest features as they are released,” he added.
The industry’s largest global mining event is nearly upon us and RCT is gearing up to showcase at the world-renowned MINExpo held in Las Vegas, Nevada USA.
From September 24 – 26, RCT and be found at booth 11075 where we will be showcasing our industry-leading agnostic automation for both the surface and underground mine sites, our state-of-the-art Collision Avoidance and MIC as well as our Data and Information Systems.
“RCT is invested in advancing businesses by integrating our state-of-the-art solutions designed for any machine make or model and this is what makes us stand apart from our competitors,” said RCT’s Global Development Manager, Ryan Noden.
“This and the fact we support our clients and solutions throughout the process is also what sets us apart from our competitors,” he added.
This year’s MINExpo’s tagline is “Innovation lives here” which sums up what RCT has done for the last 50 years, to remain cutting-edge.
RCT’s main attraction will be our two Automation Centres at the booth, one displaying our automation at work on the surface of a mine and an underground environment.
As well as exploring all our cutting-edge solutions on display, available for all mobile mining machines, regardless of make or models, there is the opportunity to meet with RCT’s team of industry experts.
This includes, RCT’s Executive Director and Founder, Bob Muirhead who has more than 50 years’ experience in the industry, inventing, producing and refining mining technology solutions to improve safety and productivity on sites.
Joining Bob will be our experienced and knowledgeable sales team from RCT’s branches all over the world including, Ryan Noden, Aaron McIntosh and Kole Paulin. In addition to this, our Product Specialists Brendon Cullen and Andrew Sells will be on hand to answer any of your questions.
If you would like to reach out and book an appointment with one of the team, please register your interest by emailing: xxxxxxxxx@xxx-xxxxxx.xxx. Otherwise, we look forward to welcoming you to our booth and help you explore our transformative, agnostic solutions at MINExpo next month.
Canadian mining company Mandalay Resources owns and operates the Costerfield gold antimony project southeast of Bendigo in regional Victoria, Australia.
Costerfield produces ore via a single portal underground mine with site personnel using a narrow vein method to extract vertical veins of ore.
The mine produces up to 80,000 equivalent ounces per annum in gold and antimony in gravity gold and a concentrate compromising approximately 54 per cent antimony and 60g/t gold.
The nature of narrow vein mining dictates that ore drives are quite thin to reduce the amount of waste material that is captured.
Costerfield’s drilling and blasting program was designed to maximise ore recovery by throwing the ore towards the draw point, however, historically the site could only recover 75 per cent of the ore.
This was due to the remaining ore sitting in the stope void out of reach of the underground loader as manually operated loaders could not exceed the stope brow.
Mandalay then investigated implementing a loader that could be managed remotely to extract additional ore and to safeguard equipment operators from hazardous situations at the mine face.
In 2015, Mandalay Resources engaged RCT to implement its ControlMaster® Teleremote and Guidance Automation product on a Sandvik LH203 Loader.
The automated loader enabled Mandalay Resources to retrieve significant amounts of ore that were previously unreachable.
In recent years RCT has increased the autonomous fleet at Costerfield by commissioning ControlMaster® Teleremote and Guidance Automation on a second Sandvik LH203 as well as a Sandvik LH151D.
The machines are managed from Fibre Optic Control Stations (FOCS) at secure locations in the underground mine protected by Laser Guard Containment Units as well as stations on the mine’s surface.
“Removing operators from the machine is the best outcome as it eliminates their exposure from one of our highest risk jobs which is working at a stope brow.
The small loaders we use are very rigid which has the potential for repetitive strain injuries.
They also have open cabs and in this environment, dust, machine exhaust and debris can be an added safety concern,” according to Jayson Guzzo, Major Projects and Innovation Manager – Costerfield, Mandalay Resources.
In mid-2019, Mandalay made the decision to implement a digital mine communications network to accommodate future technological growth.
“Given that we are a narrow vein operation we may have to access ore a significant distance from the mine access point so we are looking at going to a digital platform so we can run a fibre backbone and autonomously operate machines over a vast distance,” Mr Guzzo said.
“In a traditional mine you might spend a whole week bogging a single stope before moving, but at Costerfield we might bog 3 or 4 headings in one shift, so the number of sites that we have to have set up at any one time are multiple, hence a digital system will significantly speed up the process of commissioning new drives.”
Mandalay has reported that ControlMaster® Guidance Automation enabled them to carry out bogging and firing operations simultaneously, saving them substantial time which was previously spent clearing personnel to a safe distance.
Mr Guzzo says ControlMaster® Guidance Automation has enabled the company to reduce shift changeover time by two thirds — which is a significant cost saving.
He also says the site has experienced less unplanned machine downtime.
“At Costerfield the drives are roughly 2m wide so Guidance Automation keeps the machines off the walls and stops them bouncing around the tunnels so the damage to the machines is a lot less and results in significantly reduced unplanned maintenance time,” Mr Guzzo says.
“Relocating operators from the cab of our loaders to safer environments on the mine’s surface is essential, and being able to continue bogging during firing as well as significantly reducing shift changeover time is critical to improving site productivity. Plant automation is definitely the way of the future in the mining industry and RCT are the leaders in that area, which is why they are our preferred supplier with this equipment,” Jayson Guzzo, Major Projects and Innovation Manager – Costerfield, Mandalay Resources.
Leading autonomous solutions provider RCT is finalising a major automation project for Westgold Resources at five of its mine sites in Western Australia’s Murchison.
The package of works involved RCT installing and commissioning its ControlMaster® Guidance Automation technology to 10 of Westgold’s underground loader fleet across their mining operations including CAT R2900Gs and Sandvik LH517 loaders.
RCT will also deliver its latest surface-based ControlMaster® Automation Centres equipped with Multiple Machine Selection and Multiple Machine Control options aimed at driving further mining production efficiencies at each site.
Guidance Automation encompasses a fully automated tramming cycle between production level locations which includes proportional braking and automated steering and speed control.
The technology also includes features such as G-Dash which empowers operators by presenting a graphical dashboard of the machine telemetry and diagnostic features to ensure optimal loader performance.
Implementing the ControlMaster® Guidance Automation solution across Westgold’s Big Bell, Paddy’s Flat, Comet, South Emu and Starlight operations standardises the company’s production technology and will deliver significant efficiencies and synergies.
RCT Business Development Manager Mining – APAC Ryan Noden said each delivery is being tailored to site-specific requirements.
“Over the past few months RCT has been working in a staged approach to upgrade Westgold’s existing systems and consolidate the operating system across all operations to ControlMaster®,” he said.
“The introduction of RCT’s technology will offer Westgold a proven and successful pathway to mine digitalisation, with the ability to adopt the latest technology offerings as and when required and applying shared learnings across its operations.”
“RCT is excited to be working closely with Westgold as a technology provider to achieve operational excellence.”
David Noort, Executive General Manager – ACM at Westgold Resources said he is delighted to be working with RCT.
“We made the decision to implement the ControlMaster® Guidance Automation solution due to RCT’s proven productivity and technological reliability and proactive support services,” he said.
“Being able to implement Multiple Machine Selection/Multiple Machine Control is an added advantage as it will support staged growth and specialised applications where geotechnical constraints require a period of standoff before re-entry after blasting.”
RCT has been upskilling Westgold site personnel by implementing operator and maintenance training courses and will carry out after sales support and field servicing on an ongoing basis.
Automation is leading the way in the mining industry to keep workers safe and increase efficiency and productivity.
As RCT keeps innovating, it’s ControlMaster® Automation range keeps on expanding – presenting a world of opportunity for technology adopters in the industry.
Which is why the release of RCT’s latest automation offering is more exciting now than ever!
RCT’s proven range of automation solutions encompasses surface and underground mines to help increase productivity and profitability on site.
In the past year, the company’s automation solutions have broadened extensively to directly meet industry demands and will continue to do so into the future.
Unlike other automation solutions on the market, RCT’s offering is unique in that it’s agile across all mobile machines, regardless of make or model; making it ideal for site’s operating mixed fleets and those not wanting to replace existing infrastructure.
“RCT knows there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach when it comes to automation. Different mine sites are at different stages and the majority of them are operating diverse fleets,” said RCT’s Automation and Control Product Manager, Brendon Cullen.
“We wanted to ensure we are able to supply various levels of automation to suit client’s equipment and requirements while empowering them with the options of making staged upgrades if, and when required down the track.”
Part of this journey was the ability to adapt and deliver new features to the market to ensure clients get the most out of their autonomous equipment.
Steadfast to fill these criteria, the latest Automation offer was launched, allowing RCT to “Guide the way to Infinite possibilities.”
Beginning the automation journey is RCT’s Guidance Automation package; driverless technology that allows the operator to control machines from the comfort of an Automation Centre.
“Guidance Automation has already proven to combat operator fatigue considerably as less concentration is required to keep mobile machines from hitting the drive walls allowing operators to focus on the important tasks like digging,” said Cullen.
The Guidance Automation package includes Point-to-Point; which allows a machine to tram from one point to the other with the simple push of a button.
“It will stay on the optimal path, with no intervention needed. This feature improves tramming time, reduces machine damage and improves productivity and profitability,” said Cullen.
In addition to this, the package addresses the demand for more relevant information with – Guidance Dash (G-Dash).
This additional screen empowers operators with real-time information on their machine and surroundings.
Used in conjunction with RCT’s ControlMaster® Guidance, G-Dash gives operators a graphical representation of the machine displaying its articulation angle, waypoint, locations, machine’s speed, RPM and pitch and roll which ensures it’s placed in the best position for the ideal dig every time!
RCT’s Guidance Expand is the next package, offering additional optional extras to further enhance Guidance Automation to suit specific mine requirements.
“This allows clients to add certain features that are necessary to improve the autonomous process,” he said.
“Clients might only have the need for one or two additional features and this option allows clients to select the options they deem necessary to suit their purposes.”
Expand comprises of Select, Control, AutoNav, AutoLoad, DigAssist and G-Data. All which empower operators with more information and enables them to further increase productivity.
“These advanced options allow site’s to implement step-by-step autonomous advancements,” said Mr Cullen.
Rounding out the release is RCT’s Infinite package, which combines all the latest technology available to deliver the full mining solution; allowing clients to stay at the forefront with our technological advancements.
At present this includes Automation, Traffic Management, Telematics, Network, People and Asset Tracking, Integration, and much more.
“We are constantly innovating at RCT and our clients on the Infinite package will be the first to experience our advancements," he said.
RCT’s latest automation offering will continue to grow to cater to industry demand.
Panoramic Resources’ Savannah Mine in Western Australia is back in business following the discovery of the Savannah North nickel project with RCT’s Guidance Automation helping to increase productivity on site.
Already familiar with RCT’s Smart Technology, having previously implemented the company’s Teleremote on machines, Panoramic were already aware of the safety aspects of the technology and looked towards an upgrade to further drive productivity and profitability.
RCT’s ControlMaster® Guidance Automation, Point-to-Point and G-Dash was installed on the site’s existing CAT R2900 loaders; allowing operators to safely control the machines from the comfort of an Automation Centre on the site’s surface.
In this instance, RCT retrofitted the site’s existing Telecabins, to make use of existing infrastructure. These cabins were fully refurbished and fitted out with the latest control chairs, Laser Guard containment and communication hardware features.
Guidance Automation and Point-to-Point feature will increase productivity by allowing for ‘hot-seat’ during shift changes, significantly reduce unexpected downtime associated with machine damage, and increase overall machine utilisation which will in turn increase profitability.
RCT also provide specialised training for operators, to make them more self-sufficient on site to further reduce downtime.
RCT’s latest automation technology has been successfully deployed at the Sunrise Dam Gold Mine in Western Australia. Sunrise Dam is wholly owned by AngloGold Ashanti Australia Ltd, with underground mining operations contracted to Barminco.
Barminco’s Sandvik and CAT loader fleets, which were already operating with ControlMaster® Guidance Automation, were fitted with enhancements including Multiple Machine Selection (MMS) and Multiple Machine Control (MMC). This cutting-edge technology gives an operator control of numerous mobile machines from the one station. This project was a first for all parties involved who collaborated to achieve successful delivery.
“For example, this allows one operator to tram one machine, while digging with another to make the process more efficient,” said RCT’s Automation and Control Product Manager, Brendon Cullen.
“Before the introduction of these features, one operator would only be able to concentrate on the activity of one mobile machine. The new features allow them to attend to multiple machines safely and effectively thanks to Guidance Automation which will keep the machine on the correct path, to avoid machine damage and to ensure faster tramming.”
These latest automation features are made possible by digitising the mine’s work area with RCT’s Bridge, the company’s own communication network; essential in supporting the latest autonomous features.
“RCT Bridge is the stepping stone solution to bring a mine site to full digitisation and is simply integrated into the site’s existing system,” said Cullen.
In addition to this, RCT’s Area Access Control (AAC) units have also been deployed. This relatively new system acts as an extension of the Automation Control Centre and interfaces between the work areas and machines.
“These lightweight, cost effective and portable solutions are
the ideal alternative to installing a cabin on site,” said Cullen.
Operators will not only have all these innovative features at their fingertips, but they will also be utilising them from the comfort of an Automation Control Centre on the surface of the mine which has been upgraded with operator ergonomics in mind.
“The control centre was overhauled to ensure improved functionality with a new operating system which includes the MMC and MMS features to make it more comfortable for operators.”
These additions are designed to help increase the mine’s overall efficiency and to increase productivity.
”This project is a great example of RCT’s interoperability capabilities; highlighting the company’s abilities to integrate with different brands of machines and a site’s information system,” said Cullen.
The implementation of RCT’s state-of-the-art features is part of Sunrise Dam’s technology transformation.
RCT is proud to announce it is helping Metals X increase productivity and safety at its Nifty copper mine in Western Australia following its success with RCT’s technology at Renison Bell Tin Mine in Tasmania the past 2 years.
Two of Metals X’s new CAT R2900G loaders have been fitted with RCT’s ControlMaster® Teleremote and Guidance Automation solutions to ensure operators can oversee the machines from a safe distance.
In addition to this, RCT Bridge has been installed to effectively facilitate all automation functions. RCT Bridge is the upgrade path to digitisation, converting clients’ analogue network signals to digital, enabling large volumes of information to be transmitted and received promptly. It is an essential requirement to support the latest autonomous features and delivers further value to the customer with minimal investment or the need to move to a full-scale digital network in the work area. It will be integrated to Nifty’s existing analogue network.
Stay tuned for more on this project…
RCT’s Automation technology is providing innovative automation solutions at Independence Group's (IGO) Jaguar Operation, located 60 kilometres north of Leonora in Western Australia.
Jaguar, a high-grade zinc-copper-silver mine that IGO has managed since 2011, is no stranger to RCT’s Smart Technology, with the ControlMaster® Teleremote deployed on their CAT 1700G loaders for the past few years.
In November 2017, IGO upgraded to RCT’s state-of-the-art Guidance Automation Solution in order to speed up bogging cycle times, increase production, and minimise risk of damage to the loaders.
According to Grant Hancock, Alternate Underground Manager at IGO’s Jaguar Operation, the upgrade has already delivered immediate and substantial benefits.
“Since introducing the Guidance technology, we have experienced a significant reduction in cycle times for the bogger, with a 32 per cent improvement in cycle times when bogging on long tram routes,” explained Hancock.
“We realised that the greater the tram length, the greater the improvement. Recently in long winding drive, our operators tell us that the difference between Guidance and normal Teleremote is approximately 3:1 (buckets).”
The Guidance Automation solution controls the machine’s steering, braking and speed. The speed is determined by the minimum width of the drive and the look-ahead distance of the on-board laser units as well as the object detection feature to further assist in tight areas.
In addition to the improvement in tramming times, there has also been a
reduction in damage done to the machines, which is another added advantage to introducing automated technology.
“There has been little to no damage on the bogger when it's on Guidance compared to the other bogger that is not,” said Hancock.
“This is positive on our bottom line because it means the bogger is spending less time in the maintenance shop and more time underground moving ore,” he said.
Overall feedback from those working at the Jaguar operation has been very positive, with both the bogger operators enjoying the opportunity to be introduced to innovative new mining technologies, and management seeing tangible improvements in the production cycles adding significant value to the IGO business.
