Use of IT and automation in mining and

raw material handling

Dharmdev Rajwar, Manager- Sales & marketing for mining & material handling Business Unit- Process Industries, ABB India Limited, Bangalore

dharamdev.rajwar@in.abb.com

Technology convergence advances mining and material efficiency and productivity

ABSTRACT

One of the more important factors that will help drive Indian economy is the health of the

Indian mining sector that has a direct and huge impact on other sectors and associated

industries. This sector that has witnessed some mammoth challenges – in terms of absence of

clear and stringent policies and those associated with the very nature of the sector like high

capital investments, unpredictable return on investment and increasingly complex regulatory

environment. Bringing about a sea change in the mining sector calls for efficient processes

and right strategy and approach to underground and open pit mining that bring with them

their own set of advantages.

ABB’s Integrated Process and Power Automation solutions that have been implemented

across some of the biggest mining sites across the globe help address the growing concerns of

the Indian mining industry. Easy to adapt to Indian conditions, these integrated solutions

offer tremendous operational and business benefits while offering enhanced throughput and

operational safety, reduced operating costs, efficient deployment of assets and longer term

investment protection.

Keywords: Integrated Process and Power automation, Operator effectiveness, Machine Automation

Figure 1: Empowering the Operator

INTRODUCTION

“Out of sight, out of mind” is an adage that could have been made for the mining

industry. Mines are often in remote areas ,can be underground and are seen only by a

few, Yet everyone touches the metals and minerals they produce on daily basis- from

humble cutlery to high tech phones there is very little that does not contain mined

product. And that is not to mention the mined fuel that powers the world. Despite this

pervasiveness- and a millennia- along history- mining has lagged other industrial

sectors, like oil and gas, in terms of technology. But the industry is now at the start of

a radical technological transformation that will be brought about by the integration of

information and equipment – from rockface to factory – into one coherent extended

automation platform.

CENTRAL CONTROL STATIONS FOR MINES

The control station is used for the control monitoring, operation and control of

equipment and complex operating processes of both open-pit mine and underground

mine. This involves the recording and processing of several thousand variables, which

are often relayed to the control room locations several kilometers away e.g. WLAN.

Graphics and diagrams linked with messages present a complete picture of all the

processes in a clearly arranged and user friendly manner, thereby enabling the operator

to make fast and qualified decisions. A large number of options such as quality

management systems, an SAP interface or remote data transmission, can be integrated.

AUTOMATIC OPERATION IN OPEN PIT MINES

Open pit mining equipment works in an optimum manner when it extracts as much

material as possible in a short time without exceeding its mechanicals load limits.

No matter whether it concerns the uniform loading of conveying belt, the

minimization of conveying losses caused by the technology, the formation of safe

slopes or precise subgrades, ABB has developed automation solutions for the precise

interplay of all the dynamic basic movements of open pit mining equipment and

conveyors which help the operator to operate the systems optimally and energy

efficiently.

Our software library includes solutions for the partly and fully automatic operation of

shovel, dragline, bucket wheel excavators, spreaders and equipment for stacking and

reclaiming.

SHOVEL AND DRAGLINE EXCAVATORS

Discontinuous mining technology is the most widely used technology in the world and

is becoming more and more efficient in combination with ultra- class trucks or

crushers with belt-conveyor systems.

In this respect, the shovel excavator is the most important removal device. The

required maximum availability to operate profitably is nowadays mainly met with

high-performance AC drive technology, which ABB can offer with the specially

developed “Drives for Mining”. Here standard AC multidrive installations are made

suitable for mining through mechanical reinforcement. The integrated software

enables drive-related automation of the conveying process.

On account of its experience in the modernization of open pit mining equipment in

hard rock mining. ABB now supplies drive solutions to a leading vendor of Shovel

and dragline excavators in USA. These AC drives systems have set standards for

productivity and low operating cost, e.g. in the Canadian Oil sand Industry, with

energy saving of up to 15%.

CRUSHERS

Crushing plants which break up the materials before they are fed to continuous belt

conveyor systems are used for the continuous extraction of harder materials such as

minerals, ores or hard coal.

These crushing plants can be stationary on a concrete foundations, semi mobile on

supporting steel structures or, of late, fully mobile on crawlers. Continuously

operating crushing plant systems can mainly be found in raw material extraction for

the energy supply sector.

The main drives of the crushers are supplied with frequency controlled AC drives and

monitored and controlled by modern control equipment. Data communication with

the nearest control station take place via WLAN.

COMPLEX BELT DRIVES

The implementation of a drive system for several connected belt-conveyor systems

requires exceptional know how. A large number of critical aspects must be considered

in the engineering: the starting sequence, mass flow separations, ascent and descent

angels, conveyed masses, varying operating conditions (the belt tension and

longitudinal oscillations are particularly difficult to define), emergency and repair

modes etc.

We use advanced simulation techniques and precisely controllable low wear drive

technology such as frequency converter driven three phase motors to provide solutions

which meet the highest demands with regard to low wear, efficient energy utilization

and controllability.

ABB VFDs are integrated with high speed drive bus interface (DDCS) for controlling

the main drives control and with PROFIBUS DP to read diagnostic information.

ABB’s Mining Conveyor Control Program (MCCP) provides the main control for the

conveyor. The sophisticated control loop is superior to traditional control methods

(such as basic master- follower) in control accuracy and flexibility. Special attention is

given to the starting of the shared load and to shared operation between the motors in

order to mitigate high torque peaks and longitudinal oscillation in the belt. MCCP

ensures that all connected frequency converters apply the same torque to the conveyor,

whereas defined load sharing between different pulleys can be adjusted. In addition all

necessary limitations, supervision and protection functions are included in MCCP.

Our expertise in this field is represented by belt conveyor systems with a length of

approx. 600 km, worldwide.

Figure 2: Overburden removal conveyor

FULLY AUTOMATIC OPERATION OF STOCKPILEBoth coal and ore are temporarily stored on stockpiles on the way from the pit to

processing, and different batches are blended to adjust the quality. The operation of

such stockpiles requires sophisticated management to ensure efficient stacking and

reclaiming, to guarantee the required quality of blended material and to provide

optimum management of the available storage space.

An automation concept was developed and implemented for the unmanned fully

automated operation of a stacker and two reclaimers, including collision protection

system, of a 400,000 ton coal stockpile which supplies a power station. The specified

quality parameters were all fully complied with obligations.

3D laser scanners for measuring the surface and the volume of stockpile are nowadays

standard. As a result, the handling equipment can be operated more efficiently in line

with the geometric structure of stockpile.

The module “material Tracking” supports the operation in monitoring the flow of the

bulk material and supply real time stockpile tracking by tonnage and quality.

ABB supplies complete solutions for the fully automatic operation of stockpiles.

GEARLESS MILL DRIVESEliminating gears improves the efficiency and availability of the mills and less

maintenance work is needed. The intrinsic ability of GMDs to provide variable speed

improves the overall efficiency of the grinding process in terms of energy used and

grinding result. Variable speed also reduces network sags during mill startup and

allow features like frozen charge protection, controlled roll back and positioning for

mill maintenance needs.

Figure 3: Precise and energy efficient control on Grinding

UNDERGROUND MINING SOLUTIONS

At present scenario of Indian underground mines are less efficient, more challenges to

work and higher production cost with limited production. ABB has the unique

capacity to design, supply and Install of entire mine hoist mechanical and electrical

with either semi-automated or fully-automated hoist control integrated with loading

and unloading system. We supply friction hoists as well as drum hoists of various

types. The hoists delivered by ABB are powered by ABB’s drive systems that

represent the leading-edge drive technology for hoists. Hoist control is based on ABB

system 800xA DCS, which comply with the highest safety standards and reliability

requirements for mine hoist systems.

ABB System 800xA standard operator environment on one common platform enables

a high degree of availability and is easy to integrate with different applications such as

pumping, mine hoist, crushers, loading station and dumping station. The ABB mine

ventilation system, provides fresh air where needed. Air flow can be controlled by

different means e.g. air quality sensors, time schedules and vehicle presence.

Figure 4: Mine hoist for Underground mine

CONCLUSIONS

IT maturity takes the mining industry from laggard to leader

Almost every other industry surpassed mining when it came to using informationtechnology to support and enhance business. The increased level of complexity in themining industry has been a tremendous driver in getting mining companies to lookforward IT to help them stay competitive, especially in cost containment and increaseproductivity with a safe and sustainable way.

REFERENCES1. ABB REVIEW 3/142. System 800xA Solutions Handbook3. Aitik copper mine - A plant driven by ABB4. ABB Belt conveyor systems portfolio: Reliable operation under toughest conditions5. Mining in the future – A fully integrated process