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Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in Mining

The Mining Industry Can Use The IIoT To Optimize Processes


IIoT mining

Using the industrial internet of things (IIoT), the mining industry can overcome some of the challenges it faces in underground and open-pit mines. Technology like GPS connectivity can be customized to different situations for personalized solutions. Through the IIoT, industry leaders can optimize their processes and become more productive.

During a lifetime, each person will need an estimated 3.11 million pounds of fuel, metals and minerals. In order to produce these materials and keep up with growing demand, the mining industry needs to adapt with new technology like IIoT. Through the help of sensors and raw data, the mining industry can analyze information in real-time and determine the best course of action.

Improved Performance

With the IIoT, you can improve your mining company’s performance. When your vehicles and equipment are able to work together, it allows you to collect more data. This helps you produce better accuracy rates, and it makes each job easier to do.

Other than improving your company’s performance through automation, IIoT can also reduce the amount you spend on energy and maintenance costs. All of the various parts of your system are monitored, which makes the entire process more efficient. By having accurate data, you can deploy workers and equipment better. Over time, this will help you reduce the amount you spend on hiring workers so that your company is more profitable.

Reduce Waste and Unnecessary Costs

When you use IIoT in mining, you can find areas where you are wasting time, energy or materials. By monitoring the business in real-time, you can become more aware of the ecological environment surrounding the mine. With the use of sensors, you can get data about the air, water and ground,  and by using this data you can make better decisions about what to do with your machines or miners below the ground.

You can reduce waste by integrating different sensors into a network. Then, you just need to have the right software available to analyze the data. In the field of industrial engineering, companies have used the IoT to conceptualize technology applications for tasks like monitoring tools and connecting vehicles.

Plan for Machinery Failures

In many cases, IoT applications are not creating completely new processes or techniques. Instead, they augment current techniques by adding layers of data and insight. Sensors make it possible to observe how your processes, projects and miners are working in practice. By collecting more data points, you can learn more about your fuel spending and equipment maintenance.

With the IoT, you can use sensors and the network to track the state of your machinery. This allows you to plan ahead for maintenance activities so that repairs and updates cause the smallest amount of disruption possible. In addition, you can save on labor costs by repairing equipment right before it breaks. The integrated network allows you to detect wear and tear on equipment automatically.

Improve Safety

Unfortunately, there are still major dangers in the mining industry. While technology has reduced some of these dangers already, the IoT can help in other ways. Using the IoT, you can place sensors on unstable shafts. This allows you to get real-time data about the safety of the mine so that you can prevent a potential collapse.

When there is an accident, the IoT allows you to respond faster. Tracking features mean you can immediately locate where your workers are. This translates into a shorter rescue and evacuation time after an accident.

Because the IoT makes autonomous mining operations possible, you can have machines operate without human involvement. The equipment is connected to the internet so that an operator can use it from a control room. This control room can be nearby, or it can be located in a completely different facility.

How the IIoT Can Optimize Mining Processes

By using the IoT, mines can enjoy the following benefits:

• Develop safer working conditions.

• Minimize downtime after a blast.

• Reduce the amount of machinery downtime.

• Limit the time needed for evacuation drills.

• Optimize labor and energy costs.

If you want to optimize your mining processes, you have to know what is actually useful information. Artificial intelligence (AI) analytics can help you process all of the digitized data you collect. Then, you can learn what information is useful and significant. Through the use of machines, you can gain insights into situations that would be impossible to see without AI.

Around the world, 70 percent of respondents from a study of 100 large mining companies said that the IoT would provide their company with a significant edge over their competitors. Nearly half of respondents said the IoT could help them find ways to save costs. Another 41 percent believed it would improve their business process automation.

Using the IIoT Can Help You Expand Your Mining Operations

The Internet of Things can help improve your company’s overall productivity. In addition to boosting your bottom line, it can improve miner safety when miners are working in hazardous environments. By reducing costs, the IoT can help improve your productivity so that you can expand your company’s operations. Our platform does all of the work, so you just have to focus on running your company. If you want to learn more about our agile, intelligent platform, get in touch today.

Author

Brian McGlynn, Davra, COO

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