Midroc Automation
Spearheading the Future of Mining

In recent decades, the single most talked-about issue in the mining business is no doubt “automation.” A word that immediately makes us think of increasingly sophisticated information and communication systems. In fact, the world’s most sophisticated automation systems and processes are, to a great extent, built on decades of universal mining challenges and a wealth of hands-on experience. A true pioneer in both automation and integration is LKAB, a government-owned Swedish mining company. During the pioneering years of automation, LKAB made the most of the digital technology available at the time. Since then, information and communication systems have developed way beyond anybody’s wildest expectations, and the world’s suppliers of mining automation systems are continually integrating new functions and features to simplify the operators’ workday. The one remaining challenge for many operators has been to make the systems provided by different companies talk freely with each other—true end-to-end integration of best-in-class equipment.

To this end, Midroc Automation provided efficient logistics at LKAB Sweden’s transport level at 1365. When LKAB planned for a new main level in the Kiruna mine, the goal was far-reaching automation for high productivity. Seven driverless trains on the main level would transport the ore from 38 tapping points. Midroc was hired to deliver the process control system Siemens PCS7 and the train control system Interflo 150.

The company was responsible for all control from the trains being loaded at a drop, emptied automatically in emptying mode, even the ore being crushed, which was managed from the control room above ground. This enabled LKAB to optimize the transports with the video systems and screens that are the operators’ work tools. The solutions in Kiruna were so good that they inspired the operators of the Grasberg mine when the open pit mine was to be replaced by an underground mine located in Papua, Indonesia. Representatives from the Grasberg mine visited the Kiruna mine for inspiration and really liked the solution. “Our customer base is wide, from pharmaceutical industries to process industries and mines. Midroc performs electrical design, programming, and systemization regardless of which platform the customer uses for its control,” says Magnus Emanuelsson, the Project Manager at Midroc.

Such has been the prowess that Midroc has garnered over the years by helping many such prestigious clients. “We are driven by the mission to offer safety, efficiency, and sustainability. We combine project capability, industry knowledge, and technical skills to create success and development for our employees and customers,” says Emanuelsson. “We strive to keep up to date with the latest technology developments and implement them in our solutions to help clients achieve success.”

Midroc delivers a solution that integrates mining equipment into one operator interface, safely located in a central control room, with full control of the production and supporting systems. This includes a control center for monitoring, control, data sampling, and evaluation with remote web access for management decision making and preventive and predictive maintenance. “We are an independent supplier that can work with several different system brands and integrate them to one common interface/control center,” states Emanuelsson.

In addition to its technical expertise, what separates Midroc is its relentless pursuit of developing long-lasting client partnerships. The company is flexible, adaptive, and responsive in its project work and gets the work done in time and on budget. “With people in focus and roots in traditional automation, we are Northern Europe’s leading supplier of resource efficiency systems, and continue on our winning ways in the future,” concludes Emanuelsson.