Mining Contractor PT Pamapersada Nusantara (PAMA) has made history by becoming the first open pit coal mine in the region to implement Automation at its Kalimantan coal mine site in Indonesia, and RCT was chosen to do it.
RCT's Automation technology has been embraced on site across its dozer fleet, consisting of two Komatsu Dozers (D155 and D375). These dozers have been equipped with RCT's Line-of-Sight solution, AutoNav LOS and portable vision to give operators an even clearer view and improve safety for operators.
"This project is an important and historic moment for improving operational safety management in the Indonesian coal mining world," said SHE Management Development Department Head, Pak Ridha.
The site's decision to move from manual operation to Automation was safety driven.
"As we know, mining involves several high-risk areas related to bulldozer work, such as near water, mud, cliffs, heights and land clearing areas. With this application of technology, the level of risk in these areas can be reduced significantly," added Mr Ridha.
RCT's Account Manager, Shane Smith, said this is exactly what RCT's agnostic technology is designed to do.
"The solution was ideal to dramatically improve safety, removing the operators from the dozer and allowing them to carry out their role from a safe position on site," said Mr Smith.
"The dozers are commonly used in the tailing ponds and dams, which are notoriously dangerous areas to work in due to the potential of slips and the dozers becoming stuck," he added.
This project was carried out by RCT's bespoke department, RCT Custom, who added the portable vision to the off-the-shelf solution.
"We firmly believe in catering to a client's exact needs, so this is where our custom department is so important. They can create and deliver fit-for-purpose solutions, which is what RCT prides itself on delivering."
Mr Smith said it was great to work with the team from PT Pamapersada Nusantara.
"They have been fantastic to work with, very professional and kind, with a great ability to understand the technology," he said.
Mr Ridha said the site will continue to develop and implement this new competency which will become a competitive advantage for PAMA to develop and support business sustainability.
RCT is proud to have worked on such a notable project in the region.
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For media enquiries, please contact:
Emma Young, RCT Communications Officer
In a world-first technology project, global mining company PT Freeport Indonesia has rolled out a fully autonomous fleet of mobile rockbreakers at its West Papuan mine in partnership with smart technology specialist RCT.
PT Freeport’s industry-leading corporate policies mandate safer mining practices to remove personnel from working in areas of the Grasberg Block Cave (GBC) and Deep Mill Level Zone (DMLZ) which are prone to wet muck rushes.
To fulfill this safety-driven mandate PT Freeport engaged RCT to implement its fully autonomous ControlMaster® Guidance product across the rockbreaker fleet.
This project is the first time ControlMaster® Guidance – which has more than 8 million hours of autonomous operation across Load Haul Dump (LHD) production fleets – has integrated with mobile rockbreakers.
The successful rollout of the rockbreaker fleet yet again demonstrates that ControlMaster® is a truly interoperable solution and can integrate with any machine make or model.
PT Freeport worked closely with RCT’s dedicated onsite technical team to commission the four mobile rockbreakers and extensively tested the machines in the underground panel cave mines.
The work forms part of PT Freeport’s overall mandate for RCT to automate the mine’s diverse underground ancillary fleet which includes the mobile rockbreakers, Getman Water Carts and Cat clean-up LHD machines.
In line with PT Freeport Indonesia’s overall mine development plan the fully autonomous ancillary fleet will operate in a designated Autonomous Mining Area (AMA) within GBC and DMLZ.
Going forward, machine operators will manage the ancillary fleet via ControlMaster® Automation Centres located within the state-of-the-art Remote Operations Room (ROR) on the mine’s surface.
By utilising the Automation Centre’s Multi Fleet Select (MFS) capability operators can switch control of the mobile rockbreakers, water carts or clean-up loaders in line with changing fleet requirements at short notice.
Working from the ROR safeguards machine operators from hazards found at the mine face and enables “hot-seating” which significantly reduces shift handover time across fleet operations.
RCT Account Manager Shane Smith said the technology significantly optimises mobile rockbreaker fleet operations in addition to safeguarding the machine operators.
“PT Freeport is a very innovative company and continually invests in new technologies to evolve their mining operations and RCT is very pleased to guide them on this journey,” Mr Smith said.
“The mobile rockbreakers are utilised in the extraction level draw points to clear larger rocks however these draw points are prone to wet muck rushes which represented a significant safety hazard to site personnel.”
“Initially, we commissioned the rockbreakers with our ControlMaster® Teleremote solution which allowed machine operators to directly manage the machine from the ROR.”
“ControlMaster® Guidance enables independent fleet operations including faster tramming and consistent machine operations and prevents the machine from impacting against the walls of very narrow draw points.”
“This solution reduces unplanned machine maintenance downtime while consistent machine operations allow for better planning and forecasting activities.”
RCT experienced Customer Service team will continue to work with site personnel to support the technology as the mine evolves.
Global mining company PT Freeport Indonesia has successfully operated one of the largest mining operations in Indonesia for decades thanks to their ability to embrace innovative technology solutions to enhance their mining operations.
Freeport runs copper, gold and silver mines across five separate underground and surface operations in the highlands area of West Papua in Indonesia.
For over 30 years Freeport has enlisted the services of smart technology specialist RCT to achieve its goals of deploying market-leading technology solutions to make mining operations safer for workers and to optimise operations.
In the early 1990’s Freeport implemented RCT’s ControlMaster® remote control solutions across its mixed Sandvik and Wagner production mining fleet operating in the DOZ underground mine and Grasberg Open pit.
ControlMaster® was the ideal solution for Freeport’s mixed mining fleet due to its ability to integrate with any machine type and grant the user effective control of the machine from a safe vantage point.
No matter the project type, RCT has carried out all works to a very high standard from supplying ControlMaster® remote solutions to carrying out full machine rewiring projects onsite across the underground Load Haul Dump (LHD) fleet.
Freeport extensive technology intake also included deploying the ControlMaster® remote control technology across the surface mining fleet including Cat D11 and D10R dozers and installing teleremote technology onto a Cat 994 wheel loader within the open pit mine.
RCT has also previously commissioned ControlMaster® Line of Sight remotes onto a variety of surface drills including a Commando drill and Cubex drill rigs as well as a fixed position rockbreaker.
Over the years Freeport’s technology requirements have evolved and every time RCT has supplied technology in-line with changing expectations from providing analogue communications equipment through to more current digital networks.
At present, Freeport and RCT’s relationship is going from strength-to-strength with RCT providing bespoke technology solutions to Freeport’s entire fleet of specialised equipment.
RCT Account Manager Shane Smith said the local environment presents many unique challenges and Freeport is determined to address these issues with technology and mine in a safe way.
“Due to hazardous conditions in the underground mines such as wet muck rushes, Freeport sought to automate water cannon trucks, mobile rockbreakers and other highly specialised equipment,” he said.
“Global OEMs were not able to deliver technology to meet Freeport’s standards and so we customised our own technology to create a solution that suits their specific applications.”
“This has been so successful that Freeport now instructs global OEMs that their machines must have an RCT solution fitted at a factory level.”
“The current working relationship between Freeport and RCT is built on the foundations of many years of hard work in delivering effective automation solutions and supporting that technology.”
In 2015, Freeport asked for a RCT specialist to be deployed permanently onsite to provide a high level of support for the extensive range of automation solutions implemented across the mines.
These solutions include deploying the ControlMaster® semi-autonomous technology on Cat r1700 and r2900 loaders which can be managed by operators in Freeport’s central Remote Operation Room (ROR) on the mine’s surface.
Other projects include automating 24 chutes systems spread across the Big Gossan, DOZ and DMLZ mines and relocating the chute operator from the gantry to the ROR.
Freeport have also implemented RCT’s Haul Truck Operator Assist (HTOA) technology to optimise underground truck loading operations.
Most recently, RCT commissioned a secondary breakage fleet at Big Ghossan including Getman and Elphinstone water cannon trucks, mobile rockbreakers and Cat skid steers.
The mobile rockbreakers have been commissioned with RCT’s autonomous ControlMaster® technology and enables personnel to manage machine operations from the safety of the ROR.
Mr Smith said going forward the team will enhance the Multi Fleet Select (MFS) capability which will enable site personnel to operate multiple machine types from one Automation Centre on the mine’s surface.
“We will soon have nine new Automation Centres located in Freeport’s ROR and we will fully support local personnel in the ramping up of their autonomous fleet operations, he said.”
“Freeport is at the forefront of embracing technology to enhance their mining operations and we are very pleased to support them in this journey.”
Leading global mining company PT Freeport Indonesia has completed a major technological advancement at its West Papuan underground mine by successfully automating 24 underground mine chutes.
The project sets a new standard in underground mine safety by relocating operators away from the throat of the chute to a secure Remote Operations Room (ROR) on the mine’s surface.
Freeport engaged smart technology specialist RCT to implement its ControlMaster® Teleremote technology onto the 24 chutes which can be managed by operators via seven ControlMaster® Automation Centres located in the ROR.
All seven Automation Centres are equipped with Multiple Machine Selection (MMS) capabilities enabling an operator to control any single chute system from their respective station.
Freeport operators will now be able to observe chute operations through strategically placed cameras and remotely open and close the throat of each chute to pass ore and other material between different production levels for trucking to the surface.
The individual camera feeds can be manipulated and adjusted via intuitive mouse control options at each Automation Centre.
Previously operators were situated at the throat of each chute and manually operated each chute via their own line of sight.
RCT Account Manager Shane Smith said the chute control system will significantly improve safety onsite.
“Previously chute operators contended with heat, dust, exhaust fumes and potential wet muck situations which represent a substantial safety risk,” he said.
“Now they can more effectively manage the chutes from the safety and comfort of the Remote Operations Room which is far more preferable for everyone involved.”
“The convenient location of the control room will also significantly reduce shift changeover time as personnel can easily access the central control room rather than travel to each individual chute chamber.”
RCT will provide onsite training for site operators while the locally based technicians will deliver ongoing technical servicing and support to the site.
Global mining supplier Getman enlisted RCT to provide a mobile, Teleremote control solution for an A64HD Water Cannon, bound for its client PT Freeport Indonesia.
RCT Custom was enlisted for a bespoke solution that would allow PT Freeport Indonesia to control the Water Cannon from a safe distance with all the same functionality as if they were driving it from the cab of the machine.
The solution had to be flexible enough to allow the operator to control the machine from various locations at Freeport’s West Papuan mine site.
The end-result was the ControlMaster® Portable Teleremote solution, which allows the operator to conveniently set-up operations at a safe distance, where required on site.
“The flexibility this solution provides ensures that the machine can access all areas of the mine site it is needed to carry out the job safely and in a productive manner,” said RCT’s North America’s Regional Manager, Andrew Sells.
RCT Custom designed and manufactured the solution to allow operators to tram the mobile machine and use the Water Cannon boom control via remote control.
Operators can see the working area clearly by utilising the cameras on board the machine which relay vision of the machine’s movements to the operator via the Portable Teleremote solution.
RCT’s US branch completed the install at Getman’s HQ and our permanent technician based at the end client’s mine will provide ongoing maintenance and support for the solution.
Watch a video of the water cannon being operated here.
Leading autonomous solutions specialist RCT has finalised the last stage of a project to automate 24 underground mine chutes for a client in West Papua in Indonesia.
Recently RCT implemented ControlMaster® Teleremote technology onto 14 chutes which can be managed by operators from four ControlMaster® Automation Centres in a surface control room.
The latest work follows on from stage one works completed earlier this year where Teleremote technology was commissioned on 10 chutes connected to three Automation Centres.
All seven Automation Centres are equipped with Multiple Machine Selection (MMS) enabling an operator to control any single chute system from their respective station.
The operators will now be able to observe chute operations through strategically placed cameras and remotely open and close the throat of each chute to pass ore and other material between different production levels for trucking to the surface.
The individual camera feeds can be manipulated and adjusted via intuitive mouse control options at each Automation Centre.
Previously operators were situated at the throat of each chute and manually operated each chute via their own line of sight.
RCT Account Manager Shane Smith said the chute control system will significantly improve safety onsite.
“Previously chute operators contended with heat, dust, exhaust fumes and potential wet muck situations which represent a substantial safety risk,” he said.
“Now they can more effectively manage the chutes from the safety and comfort of a surface control room which is far more preferable for everyone involved.”
“The convenient location of the control room will also significantly reduce shift changeover time as personnel can
easily access the central control room rather than travel to each individual chute chamber.”
RCT will provide onsite training for site operators while the locally based technicians will deliver ongoing technical servicing and support to the site.
Global mining supplier Getman enlisted RCT to provide a mobile, Teleremote control solution for an A64HD Water Cannon, bound for its client in Indonesia.
RCT Custom was enlisted for a bespoke solution that would allow the client to control the Water Cannon from a safe distance with all the same functionality as if they were driving it from the cab of the machine. The solution had to be flexible enough to allow the operator to control the machine from various locations on site.
The end-result was the ControlMaster® Portable Teleremote solution, which allows the operator to conveniently set-up operations at a safe distance, where required on site.
“The flexibility this solution provides ensures that the machine can access all areas of the mine site it is needed to carry out the job safely and in a productive manner,” said RCT’s North America’s Regional Manager, Andrew Sells.
RCT Custom designed and manufactured the solution to allow operators to tram the mobile machine and use the Water Cannon boom control via remote control. Operators can see the working area clearly by utilising the cameras on board the machine which relay vision of the machine’s movements to the operator via the Portable Teleremote solution. RCT’s US branch completed the install at Getman’s HQ and our permanent technician based at the end client’s mine will provide ongoing maintenance and support for the solution.
RCT is proud to announce its latest Custom project which will significantly improve operator safety and increase productivity at an underground mine in South East Asia.
The mine site wanted to further safeguard operators by removing all personnel from the truck loading chute chambers which are exposed to extreme environmental hazards such as wet muck rushes.
RCT Custom designed, manufactured and will soon install a bespoke remote control solution that allows operators to control the chutes, used to load trucks, from a safe location.
Operators will be able to control up to 10 chutes from four operator stations located in a central control room, with plans to expand the operation in the future.
The customised chute control solution works in conjunction with RCT’s ControlMaster® Guidance Automation solution installed on the site’s Caterpillar AD60 underground articulated trucks. Guidance ensures the truck autonomously makes its way to the chute chambers.
The new chute control solution eliminates the need to have operators
in the hazardous area completely and therefore directly meets the client’s needs.
Stay tuned for more on this project….
RCT is joining channel partner Linindo Pacific International (LPI) in Jakarta for Mining Indonesia, from September 13 – 16.
The 18th International Mining and Minerals Recovery Exhibition is Asia’s largest mining equipment exhibition; providing a professional platform for the industry to do business. The well-known and respected show attracts key players in the mining industry.
LPI is South East Asia’s largest integrated after-market solutions provider for the heavy mobile equipment industry and is RCT’s authorised Indonesian distributor of Muirhead®, AusProTec™, EarthTrack® and some of the ControlMaster® range.
“RCT has been providing the Indonesian Mining sector with automation, safety and protection solutions for more than 30 years and during this time we have worked with LPI to establish strong working relationships with both local and foreign mining companies,” said RCT’s Account Manager for the region, Shane Smith.
“We are excited to take part at this year’s event with LPI, it’s a great chance to engage with our Indonesian customers and help convey the value of our profit-boosting solutions,” he said.
“We look forward to continuing these relationships and establishing new ones at this well-regarded event.”
