Capital Equipment News September 2019

INTERVIEW

than pioneering the implementation of cutting-edge, exciting tech. In saying that, mining operations are primed to invest heavily and rapidly deploy such systems more readily than most other industries. There are however many considerations that are taken into account with as far as these types of decisions are concerned, including the projected life of mine, current operational performance, robustness of available technology (specifically in the rough and sometimes hazardous environments of a mining operation), suitability of the technol- ogy to address specific needs, the organisa- tion’s objective understanding of their digital maturity, regional regulatory constraints and external factors such as global market demand and fluctuating commodity prices. Like all business decisions, the commit- ment to embarking on the use of technology would require a strong value proposition and an accompanying financial benefit. After this the work begins. MS: What should be some of the considerations in that regard? KN: In devising a strategy to implement technology on a mine, one should bear the following points in mind: Root cause understanding. Spending time on understanding and defining a problem usually uncovers inputs, behaviours and con- sequences that may have been overlooked during early stages. System and process optimisation prior to technology deployment. Digitising or auto- mating current processes could be ineffective. Many operational procedures are developed as “band aids” to inappropriate behaviours, people’s affinity to what they know and are comfortable with and a means by which manual reporting is done. New systems have the ability to cut out these time intensive and minimal value add activities, allowing employ- ees to focus on their core tasks. Partnership vs. out-the-box solutions. Understand whether you are more suited to changing your operation to fit the technol- ogy or whether you want the technology to augment your current capabilities. There are many products and companies that sell the dream in the mine of the future. If you dig a little deeper you will find a reluctance to develop solutions that suite your needs. Insist on interoperability where practical. If you have plans for further expansion or wish to derive insights through system collabora- tion, ensure that the individual service provid- ers and their technology offerings facilitate these functionalities. Involve representatives at each level of your organisation that will be affected by the technology. A champion at every level helps in the adoption of technology and unlocks the

Kumeshan Naidu, regional automation centre manager at Epiroc.

The mining industry is getting a lot of upgrades, and it is not only through better machinery and equipment. As with most sectors, mining is profiting from the digital revolution. Kumeshan Naidu, regional automation centre manager at Epiroc, explains how – with the addition of digital technologies in their practices – mining companies can usher in a new age of efficiency. By Munesu Shoko . Unpacking a new age of efficiency Munesu Shoko [MS]: With profits down, miners are focused on improving their productivity. How can digitalisation provide a breakthrough? Kumeshan Naidu [KN]: Almost all mining operations are limited in their ability to improve their profit margin after extracting their commodity and subjecting it to some level of beneficia- tion. Barring the use of clever analytics tools to capitalise on arbitrage or accurately predicting the opportune moment to release their product, a single mining operation will have limited control over market pricing or demand. With shareholders constantly demanding improved yields, a typical mining operation must look at other means to satisfy its benefactors, which in most cases would be the improvement of operational efficiencies through a series of business improvement initiatives. The mining industry is fully aware of this and has been, since its early days. However, the success and value gleaned from such initiatives varies from mine to mine and more so from country to country. In utilising modern or 4IR technologies to automate and digitalise processes and activities, mining operations hope to empower their personnel, through near real time data driven insights, and improve safety, through the use of automated equipment. There is one key point that must be understood before selecting and deploying any standalone or suite of technologies, that is “technology is an enabler” not the solution to remedying operational inefficiencies. MS: Mining has traditionally been a slow industry to adopt new technologies due to the scale and complexity of its operations, and the perceived heavy costs that come with change. What is your view with regards to digital technologies? KN: Traditionally the mining industry has taken the fastest follower approach, whereby they have been more open to the adoption of technologies that have been tried and tested rather

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