How Does Remote Sensing Transform The Mining Industry

Metals and Mining Review | Monday, August 22, 2022

A new era of mining is emerging in the 21st century. Mining practices and technologies that are more sustainable, safety-conscious, smart drive the industry in new directions.

Fremont, CA: A new era of mining is emerging in the 21st century. Mining practices and technologies that are more sustainable, safety-conscious, smart drive the industry in new directions. As part of modern mining equipment, sensors monitor land, cover changes around mines, monitor pollution, ecological damage, and emissions, and provide information about mineralogy and geology. IR sensors and multispectral and hyperspectral cameras are used in ground-based, aerial, and satellite remote sensing platforms. Seismic, temperature, magnetic, and electromagnetic fluctuations are tracked and monitored using sensors.

Companies majorly use sensors to solve challenges, making mining safer, more sustainable, and more data-driven in the future.

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Using Sensors to Enhance Security

Sensors are being used in mines to help increase worker safety. For example, in the event of cave-ins or explosions, integrated sensing systems can monitor health and safety, air quality, geolocate personnel and assets, assist in communication, enable enhanced ground stabilization detecting abilities, and help locate trapped miners.

Improving the Environment's Sustainability

Sensors are now being utilized in mines to increase their long-term viability. They're utilized to map land and cover changes, track emissions and pollution, and provide information, from planning to closure and environmental rehabilitation. For legal and illicit mining surveillance, remote, satellite-based sensors are increasingly being employed to offer continual data and change detection tools.

Creating Smarter, More Data-Driven Mines

Mines are set to become more connected and data-driven soon. In the future, mines will employ banks of sensors that provide real-time data on every aspect of their operations. Both human and mechanical mining assets will soon be hyper-connected as autonomous mining equipment becomes more common. Mining data will be sent back to a central, remote hub.

Remote diagnostics, predictive maintenance, asset tracking, emission, and groundwater monitoring, monitoring the impacts of blasting, providing wearable technology, and assisting in implementing smart ventilation systems, can all be achieved with sensors. In addition, it is possible to provide real-time, continuous monitoring capabilities. These apps will work together to create smart mines that will forever change the face of mining.

 

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