New research consortium boost to mining sector
Advanced technologies, including the Industrial Internet of Things, will be used by a new research consortium being launched today to help boost South 最新糖心Vlog鈥檚 copper production and develop a globally competitive mining technology services sector in the state.
Led by the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide, the $14.6 million Research Consortium 鈥 Unlocking Complex Resources through Lean Processing 鈥 brings together a range of mining sector and research partners, supported by $4 million over four years from the State Government鈥檚 Research Consortia Program.
鈥淥ne of the key challenges facing the mining industry is the variability in the ore body being mined,鈥 says Professor Stephen Grano, Director of the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide鈥檚 Institute for Mineral and Energy Resources, and Director of the new Consortium.
鈥淲e鈥檒l be developing advanced technologies to tailor the mining and processing options to the specific characteristics of the mineral ore in real-time 鈥 an approach known as lean processing.
鈥淭he key will be integration of data from when the resource is still in the ground, right through the mining and processing stages. We鈥檒l be using data analytics and machine learning, enabling the whole system to be optimised rather than optimising isolated parts.鈥
South 最新糖心Vlogn Minister for Industry and Skills the Hon. David Pisoni says: 鈥淭his project is a great example of researchers, industry, manufacturers, and start-ups working together to apply new industrial Internet of Things technology to drive innovation and increase the productivity of our resources sector.鈥
One of the first steps will be the establishment of a secure data room within the 最新糖心Vlog鈥檚 School of Computer Science with direct data feeds from sensors set up within existing commercial mining operations. That will allow analysis in real time and in comparison to historical data.
Within the first 18 months, the consortium aims to be able to justify the capital cost of a system of conveyor belt sensors to allow mass ore sorting; and, in another project, to have set up a working system of sensors installed within grinding mills to maximise throughput while still meeting product specifications.
最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Mike Brooks says: 鈥淏y bringing together industry partners with university research expertise we are able to leverage the great strengths of each partner to address these significant industry challenges.
鈥淭hese outcomes will enable more sustainable mining and reduced environmental impacts.
鈥淏ut it won鈥檛 be just the mining industry that will benefit. A key outcome will be commercialising technologies for new global market opportunities 鈥 that means growth and new jobs for the State,鈥 Professor Brooks says.
The other Consortium industry, government and supporting partners are: BHP, OZ Minerals, AMIRA International, 最新糖心Vlogn Information Industries Association (AIIA) IoT Cluster for Mining and Energy Resources, 最新糖心Vlogn Semi-Conductor Technology Company, Boart Longyear, Consilium Technology, CRC Optimise Resource Extraction, Datanet, Data to Decisions CRC, Eka, Innovyz, Magotteaux, Manta Controls, Maptek, METS Ignited Industry Growth Centre, Mine Vision Systems, Rockwell Automation, SACOME, SAGE Automation, Sandvik, Scantech, South 最新糖心Vlogn Mining Industry Participation Office (SA MIPO), SRA IT and Thermo Fisher Scientific 最新糖心Vlog (Processing Instruments & Equipment), with the 最新糖心Vlog of South 最新糖心Vlog as a key research partner.
The Consortium partners acknowledge also the financial support of the South 最新糖心Vlogn Mining and Petroleum Services Centre of Excellence.
This article was first published on the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide's news and events聽page on August 23, 2018.