How Automation And Robots Have Influenced The Growth Of Mining Industry?

The mining industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the world. Recent technologies have made it the mining industry even more powerful. Automation plays a critical role in this mining industry as it is labor-intensive, and a lot of risks are involved for the laborers. The use of the latest automation equipment has reduced the operational cost of the mining industry. Thus the future of the mining industry greatly depends on automation. Very soon, robots and cobots would replace human labors and perform jobs that are of high risk. Here you would understand the growth of the mining industry due to automation and the importance of using robots for the mining jobs.

Role Of Automation In Mining Industry

In recent years several mining companies make use of automation tools for performing the regular functions of the mining industry. Automation gained popularity as safety and efficiency were considered as a serious concern in the mining industry. Some of the essential automated tools used in the mining industry are listed below.

• Remote control excavators
• Fully operated vehicles
• Tele operated vehicles

The above automation tools can operate without the assistance of humans. Thus the mining companies are becoming modernized with the use of various automation tools. Thus the efficiency of the mining operations has increased dramatically with the introduction of automation. The productivity of the mining industry also has increased with the use of the latest automation tools. This has led to the growth of the mining industry in recent years. Some of the automation involved in the mining industry is discussed below.

A popular iron ore mining company in Australia is making use of several trucks with no drivers to transport ores from one mine to the other. These vehicles are controlled from a centralized area, which is nearly 750 miles away. The Syama gold mine of Bamako works in partnership with a leading automation company Sandwick. Thus they have come up with the first fully automated gold mine in the world. This mine makes use of automated trucks, drills, robotic loaders, and other automatic mining tools.

Role Of Robots In Mining Industry

One of the most significant challenges in the mining industry is the workforce safety. There is a necessity for human labor to work in remote areas like mountains and deserts, where the majority of the mining is carried out. With the invention of the latest robots and human-assisted cobots, it is possible to replace the workforce employed in the mining industry. Though this offers safety to the human workers, it creates massive job loss among skilled and unskilled workers in the mines. Artificial intelligence plays a critical role in the various operations of the mining industry. Robotics is the recent invention of artificial intelligence technology in the mining industry. It is, of course, the good news that the prices of the robots are less compared to the labor cost. This has led to an increase in the use of robots as a perfect replacement for the human workforce. Check out – Why Robots are replacing humans in the world’s mines.

The following are some of the benefits of using robots in the mining industry.

Low Operation Cost: At the initial stage of introducing robots in the mining industry, the cost may be expensive. But in the long run of the mining operations, you would find that it is a worthy investment. The ROI of the mining company would outweigh the cost spent on automation. The production increases as the speed of the mining operation are significantly increased with the use of robots.

Work Place Safety Increases: One of the primary concerns of the mining industry is workplace safety in mines. It is not possible to guarantee life safety for people working in mines. Thus replacing the human workforce with robots, can increase workplace safety.

Safety Considerations In Mining Industry

The mining industry is one of the dangerous and hazardous industries in the world. Nearly 19 percent of work-related fatalities are due to occupational accidents. The mining industry is responsible for almost 5 percent of workplace fatalities. Nearly 15,000 of mining deaths are reported every year. Mining industry offers nearly 4 percent of the world GDP. Thus mining contributes to the world economy to a great extent. Therefore automation of the mining industry is essential to avoid the mining-related injuries of the human workforce. Thus the mining industries can concentrate on its growth without considering their work-related hazards.

Here you gain a clear insight about the use of automation and robots for the growth of the mining industry.