3D modeling

GlobalData’s most influential group of people mentioned 1537 times on social media, and 3D modeling technology has been the most popular topic in digital mining. Modeling techniques are often computer programs used to create underground maps as part of a new mine’s pre-construction work. Effective use of modeling can extend the range of exploration work by capturing images of hard-to-reach places.

Modeling can also improve the safety of exploration by removing workers from unknown and potentially unsafe underground areas. The ability to create detailed images of subsurface areas is an integral part of the present hover map system, which uses drones to perform modeling and mapping of a larger area.

Artificial intelligence

Referring to 162 times, artificial intelligence covers a wide range of intelligent computer systems that can be learned from previous experience and are often used to improve operational efficiency. So a lot of famous mining enterprises such as Metso, Sandvik, HXJQ China are committed to producing the intelligent machine including portable rock crushers(also called mobile crushers). Technically, portable rock crusher is a set of flexible, easily-transferred and self-contained equipment combination of devices installed in stone crushing plant and sand making plant for material feeding, crushing and screening. Besides, this kind of mobile rock crusher is widely used in gold mining that’s why sometimes it is also called gold mine portable rock crusher. It could be classified into two variations: semi-portable crusher (moving through mounted way) and tracked crusher, according to the way it moves down roads.

What’s more, the tracked crusher is one of the most popular crushing because its wireless remote control: When running, the wireless remote control is used to control the track; In the crushing mode, the wireless remote control is used to control the feeding. In the wireless remote operation mode with loading, the emergency stop device on the remote control device can work at any time. If the wireless is suddenly interrupted during the operation of the equipment, the track crusher will stop the operation to ensure safety, and then a dangerous emergency stop is reported immediately.

Besides, Tomra recently deployed a laser-driven solution that uses the scattering effect of lasers to distinguish between ores containing precious quartz and ores of the same appearance.

Anerfa also uses German image recognition technology for garbage sorting, using convolutional neural network technology in AI technology, using visual learning for deep learning of coal and vermiculite, using big data to identify coal and meteorites, and using control systems for robotic arms so that it can automatically complete the coal shovel sorting work.

Integrated automation

Since the beginning of the year, automation has been mentioned as 133 times, and unmanned vehicles are becoming more common in mining areas because the company wants to improve safety by removing drivers from vehicles.

The unmanned driving of the mining industry is of great significance and can fully guarantee the safety of personnel in the mining process. However, unmanned driving has always been used as an application for everyone to chase, but the actual application of unmanned driving in the mine is still progressing slowly!

The “unmanned driving” promoted by Anerfa can be said to be unmanned on the plane. Some people in the distance have remotely modified the equipment in the well or underground, and the personnel completely control the equipment from the dangerous area. It is also possible to automate certain areas of automatic driving control, such as automatic loading and unloading of mine roadways.

Blockchain

The most influential person in GlobalData mentioned the blockchain 93 times because the technology is beyond the cryptocurrency management and is a securely verified information record. A 2018 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers uses an example of a diamond that can be engraved with a QR code from mine to use to ensure its quality and authenticity. This process can greatly reduce the chance of fraudulent sales.

Blockchains can also play a role in eliminating illegal mining or conflict diamonds, as customers know where their diamonds are mined and therefore avoid illegal sources. DeBeers and Alrosa have partnered to develop a blockchain-based solution to minimize illicit diamond trade. The story of the movie blood diamond may be completely eliminated in the future!

Drone

There are 74 mentions, Kespry and Airobotics are the most influential people. The mining industry began to use the potential of drones for mapping and information gathering. Kespry specifically reported that the accuracy of the data collected by its drones has been significantly improved compared to other methods and that labor costs can be significantly reduced as a single drone can cover a large amount of land.

Anerfa once shared how we use drones to manage mines, use drones to manage measuring yards, save drilling, blasting time, and more. And also share the choice of drones, application methods and so on.

Environment and emission control

Environmental and emission controls are intelligent technologies used to monitor the environmental impact of mines, as well as harmful emissions levels. In 2016, the Chinese government used Microsoft and IBM’s machine learning system to collect data from 35 air quality monitoring stations in Beijing, analyze historical trends in air pollution, and make faster future emissions and technologies with significant mining potential. Predictive techniques can also be used to help miners complete environmental impact assessments and even plan for mine recovery projects before the mine is built.

Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to smart devices that continuously record and share data through network connections. The concept has been extended to industrial operations and becomes the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT). Since the beginning of the year, the extensive collection and analysis of data has been mentioned 60 times, which is indispensable for improving the future operational efficiency of the mining industry.

International engineering firm Weir released the Synertrex IIoT platform in August 2018, which collects data from sensors placed on many of the company’s products. These data are the basis for further analysis of device performance trends and predictions of future operational performance. This allows companies to anticipate and resolve problems before they impact operations.

Internet of Things applications has been widely used in various industries in recent years. For a long time, Anerfa has also been rooted in mining IoT applications. It has the IoT sensor developed and produced by itself, and has the ALPHA cloud intelligent operation and maintenance platform. From hardware to software, it conducts protection monitoring for all types of mining equipment, analyzes equipment operating performance, and predicts fault information in advance. And the Alpha Cloud can integrate all other types of sensor data and do storage analysis in the cloud.

Anerfa has a cloud-based intelligent operation and maintenance platform with a large amount of data. All the equipment data of the Anfal customers are here. There are huge amounts of data generated every day, and the monitoring equipment is operated at all times to achieve predictive maintenance!

Cloud

As mentioned 43 times, cloud storage systems have obvious uses in the mining industry, especially in international companies, which are responsible for coordinating operations in multiple countries and continents. In 2014, Anglo American partnered with Box to provide a cloud-based information sharing and collaboration platform for 10,000 miners worldwide. The project is still in use and helps teams around the world coordinate projects. This service is especially useful for teams in areas with less developed communications infrastructure, enabling employees to securely store data for offline use.

Apart from the above-mentioned cloud intelligent operation and maintenance platform, the cloud service of Anerfa can coordinate office, mine production, equipment operation data and so on for the management of mining companies. Do comprehensive integrated storage management, customers have demand, Anerfa can customize your cloud services. Anerfa is actively promoting the establishment of cloud services and equipment operation data management for European customers!

Virtual Reality

As mentioned 24 times, virtual reality technology has the potential to be used for mapping with drone technology, but it is also used for training and education. In 2019, the University of South Australia and the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy launched a virtual reality project, inviting students to become “geologists of the day” and seeing many field operations across Australia and interacting with many projects.

Cybersecurity

As mining companies adopt more intelligent technologies, the need to protect data becomes more and more important. Twenty times, cybersecurity is the last trend leading the digital mining dialogue this year.

A Telstra 2016 report found that less than a quarter of companies are prepared to deal with potential cyber threats related to cloud-based data storage transformations, especially for mining companies, due to the rise of the “bring your own device” culture. Personal devices (not corporate computers) are connected to a network that contains important information and may be attacked.