From the very beginning of K-MINE's existence, our goal has always been to automate the mining process throughout the entire mining cycle. This includes ensuring the integrity of the information and its legacy from the first day of exploration until the end of mining process. Information in this context means everything from manual input to sensor monitoring data. At the moment, our system can take into account various scenarios that can be adapted to different system capabilities and customer requirements.
This includes the creation of a unified dispatch system. Our clients can see the positions of mining equipment and drilling rigs in real time on the mine’s digital twin, which is the working file of the surveying service and the technical department. Thus, the surveying department got the opportunity to plan its survey, and the technical department got the opportunity to compare the plan and the reality of mining planning.
One of the problems that was constantly present and was not solved as quickly as we would like is the security of the mine site. A safe working environment is one of the key points when it comes to managing any production process, especially in the mining industry. And this is where IoT devices come into play.
We have already worked with IoT on different scales. One of the solutions we have developed for underground mines is the positioning of personnel and equipment. K-MINE can send text and voice messages, calculate the ventilation network in dynamic mode, control the excess of harmful gases in the workings, create an emergency response plan, etc.
K-MINE can also act as an integrator of solutions from different manufacturers of control equipment. At one of the large mining enterprises, the K-MINE system collects, processes and uploads the necessary data from equipment installed by various suppliers at the mining and transport complex. Thus, the customer received a single flow of information to make the necessary management decisions.
When it comes to mine automation, a big part of the process is the unification of mine planning and supervisory control.
Since K-MINE could integrate different dispatch systems, we also created a system that is designed to monitor production parameters in real time and compare them with calculated parameters. In the “K-MINE: Scheduling” module, the user can collect volumes for waste and useful minerals: the data from sensors and planned volumes is divided by mining units and transmitted to the control room in real time. This way the company can control the execution of the shift plan.
Currently, K-MINE is working on linking the dispatch to the safe zones during mass blasting in open pits. This task will enhance the automation process within the safe zones, and already includes the control of personal and technical equipment. Now the dispatcher receives safe zones that are designed in advance, and he closes them upon the reality of the mining. At the same time, he receives the coordinates of personnel and technical equipment in real time. Thus, by combining the coordinates of personnel and equipment with the location of safe zones, the program provides automated control of the mass blasting process.
Another solution that K-MINE is currently working on is the enrichment of our dynamic axonometric ventilation model by linking the decompression survey sensors to the underground control network. Now we will be able to calculate the ventilation network of the entire mine in real time. Thus, the dispatcher will have a tool that allows him to quickly respond to changes in the mine ventilation network.
One of the major updates coming to K-K-MINE is the development of a web-based interface that will transmit real-time information from IoTs devices and personnel, displaying gas consumption information, tracking the location of equipment and personnel, and creating a dashboard based on this information.
This update will be available during the customized implementation at each company's site, and will become a game changer for the top management of the company and its divisions. The analytics will be complemented by historical data, so the company will receive heat maps, about where employees have the most frequent problems, when equipment needs maintenance, etc. All this information will help managers get real-time information and solve problems efficiently and on time.
K-MINE IoT platform will be available by the end of 2022, and other updates are scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2023.
