RCT has finalised a major automation project at MATSA’s Aguas Teñidas and Magdalena mines in the Huelva province of Spain.
The project involved installing ControlMaster® Guidance Automation on four CAT R2900G underground loaders and one Automation Centre Surface Control Station at MATSA’s Aguas Teñidas copper-lead-zinc mine.
The Automation Centre is fitted out with RCT’s Multiple Machine Control feature enabling a single operator to remotely control multiple machines at the same time via Aguas Teñidas’ digital communications network.
RCT also commissioned two Sandvik LH621 underground loaders with ControlMaster® Guidance Automation at the nearby Magdalena copper mine.
The Sandvik loaders can operate on a digital network via RCT’s Area Access Cabinets which act as an extension of the Automation Centre and interfaces between the work areas and the machines.
This instalment builds on a previous project to mount ControlMaster® Teleremote and Guidance Automation solutions on three of the site’s CAT R2900G underground loaders which operated on an analogue network via two surface control stations.
Guidance Automation solution means machines can tram between two predetermined points on a mine site with the simple push of a button by operators who also receive real-time information including machine speed, RPM, direction, pitch and roll.
The Automation Centre consists of an ergonomically designed operators chair facing up from screens which feed real-time information from sensors and machine-mounted cameras to the operator.
Teleremote enables the operator to remotely manage the machine from a control station in real time.
A MATSA spokesperson said: “this system not only allows us to operate in hazardous conditions safely from the surface but also increases productivity by permitting us to operate during shift change and smoke clearing. We also have the capability to simultaneously operate more than one piece of equipment with the same tele-remote operator.”
RCT Account Manager Shane Smith said the Guidance Automation products would provide solid benefits for MATSA.
“ControlMaster® Guidance Automation has a proven track record of improving operator safety in a traditionally hazardous working environment by removing them from the mine face,” he said.
“The faster tramming speeds will also help to boost site productivity on site and limit unplanned machine downtime due to repairs from machinery accidents while the new Automation Centre will reduce operator fatigue due to improved comfort and ease-of-access on the mine’s surface.”
Mining solutions providers UpMS will be exhibiting at this year’s Mining Metallic Hall (MMH) held in Seville from October 17 – 19 and will have information about RCT’s Smart Technology solutions on show.
The Portugal-based company and RCT have an established working relationship; having collaborated on various projects in the region together in the past. The UpMS booth and will be have plenty of information on RCT’s innovative solutions helping to increase productivity and profitability at its booth throughout the three day event.
The biennial event is devoted to metallic mining will focus is on different aspects affecting metallic mining in relation to technological progress, environment protection and the improvement of process and performance to increase efficiency in the extraction and treatment of resources – making it the ideal platform for UpMS and RCT to have a presence at.
The MMH will take place at the Seville Conference and Exhibition Centre in Spain. If you are attending make sure you stop by and meet João Nunes and the team at booth 1006 in Hall 1.
A base metal mineral mine in Spain has increased production at a newly developed mine thanks to innovative Smart Technology company RCT.
The site manager, who was already familiar with RCT’s products and capabilities, saw the opportunity to increase productivity at the mine by upgrading its loaders from a Line-of-Sight (LOS) remote system to a proven RCT solution.
Mine management and RCT collaborated to find the ideal solution for the site to directly answer its needs. It was decided RCT’s ControlMaster® Teleremote and Guidance systems (ATX2000) were best suited for the job. These solutions were installed on four CAT R2900G Underground loaders.
RCT’s ControlMaster® Teleremote and Guidance systems were specifically designed to improve operational efficiency and productivity by reducing impact damage to the machine while increasing general tramming speed to ensure KPI’s are met every time.
The previous technology the mine was utilising was basic and required a high level of concentration to navigate the complicated and often busy drives of the mines on top of this, LOS resulted in an interrupted mining sequence as the operator has to enter and exit the machine frequently which takes time.
The ControlMaster® Teleremote and Guidance systems would eliminate the interrupted mining sequence, assist with fatigue experienced by operators and make navigating the drives simple as the Teleremote and Guidance is equipped with lasers to avoid all walls and obstacles, which in turn reduces damage to expensive machinery.
The state-of-the-art system removes the operator from the machine, allowing them to control the loader from the comfort of an operator control station which is complete with chair, controls and screens. The loader itself is fitted with cameras and sensors which are relayed to the operating station.
At this particular site, two Automation Centres were deployed. One was adapted into an underground room in the mine wall, and the second was fitted on the back of Ford Ranger vehicle, making it mobile.
RCT training was also successfully delivered to numerous mine operators via an interpreter; ensuring workers had a sound understanding of the system in order to reap maximum results.
Within a few weeks of operation, the site experienced a substantial improvement in the number of buckets the loaders were completing in a day.
“The system is working and we feel confident about it,” said the site manager.
“We have allocated two dedicated guys –trained by [RCT] to ensure that is adequately implemented across all shifts.”
In addition to this, he said operator safety and operating conditions have improved.
“The system has been positively received by all the operators and working conditions have improved considerably with the use of this technology,” he said.
“This solution has also addressed unnecessary downtime we were experiencing.”
“The Teleremote solution allows the operators to work uninterrupted; they no longer have to raise and lower the blade continuously when entering and exiting the stope.”
RCT has successfully deployed numerous ControlMaster® Teleremote and Guidance systems in mining operations throughout the world, with great results. To date, RCT has engaged in projects in more than 64 countries however, this was the first significant project to be completed in Spain.