ABSTRACT

CONTENTS

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Localization ............................................................................................................. 13
Dead reckoning......................................................................................................... 13
Opportunistic Localization......................................................................................... 14
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AutoMine ................................................................................................................ 14
MINEGEM ........................................................................................................... 17
Scooptram automation system ..................................................................................... 18
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LKAB, Kirunavaara mine ........................................................................................ 22
LKAB, Malmberget Mine......................................................................................... 23
Lappland Goldminers AB, Zinkgruvan ...................................................................... 24
BHP Billiton, Olympic Dam Mine ........................................................................... 24
Codelco, El Teniente mine ........................................................................................ 25
Newmont Mining Corporation, Jundee mine ............................................................... 25
INCO, Stobie mine and Creighton mine ................................................................... 25
Inmet, Pyhäsalmi mine ............................................................................................. 26
Northgate Minerals Corporation, Stawell mine ............................................................ 26
RioTinto, Northparkes mine ..................................................................................... 26
Rio Tinto, Diavik mine ............................................................................................ 27
 Boliden Mineral AB, Garpenberg mine ...................................................................... 27
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Outokompo, Kemi mine ........................................................................................... 28
XSTRATA, Brunswick division ............................................................................... 28
BHP Billiton, Olympic Dam Operation .................................................................... 28
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INCO, Stobie mine ................................................................................................. 32
Codelco, El Teniente mine ........................................................................................ 33
BHP Billiton, Olympic Dam Operation .................................................................... 33
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Underground mine, Canada, case study ...................................................................... 33
Underground mine, Palaboura mine, South Africa ....................................................... 33
Underground mine, Chile, case study ......................................................................... 34
Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold open pit mine, Sierrita, Arizona ........................ 35
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 CHAPTER 1
Introduction

Purpose of the research study

Objectives and limitations of the research study

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 CHAPTER 2
Load haul dump machines and trucks

Figure 1 Load Haul Dump machine (courtesy of Sandvik)

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Figure 2 Underground mining truck (courtesy of Caterpillar)

Manual operation

Figure 3 Manually operated LHD working in an underground mine (courtesy of

Sandvik)

Line of sight remote control

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Figure 4 Line of sight operation (courtesy of Sandvik) and a radio remote control
(courtesy of Atlas Copco)

Tele-remote control

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Figure 5 Tele remote operation (courtesy of XSTRATA)

Fully automated operation

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Figure 6 Physical barrier system

Semi-automatic operation

Manufacturing companies

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Figure 7 Automated LHD system from Sandvik with the operator’s environment
(courtesy of Sandvik)

Figure 8 Automated LHD system from Atlas Copco with the operator’s environment
(courtesy of Atlas Copco)

Figure 9 Automated LHD system from Caterpillar with the operator’s environment
(courtesy of Caterpillar)

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Table 1 Manufacturers of automation systems and LHDs

Brand name Producer company Producing country

TM
AutoMine Sandvik Sweden
TM
MINEGEM Caterpillar USA/Australia
Scooptram Automation Atlas Copco Sweden

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 CHAPTER 3
Navigation

Absolute navigation

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Reactive navigation

Figure 10 Operation modes of the automated system (Duff et al. 2002)

Environment

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Requirements for underground navigation

Underground positioning systems

Localization

Dead reckoning

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Figure 11 Dead reckoning, drift and its correction (Mäkelä 2001a)

Opportunistic Localization

Commercially available navigation systems for LHDs

AutoMine

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 ƒ

Figure 12 AutoMine system overview (courtesy of Sandvik)

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MINEGEM

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Scooptram automation system

Figure 13 Scooptram automation system (Atlas Copco 2009 b)

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Figure 14 The sensors used for the Scooptram automation system (Atlas Copco 2009 b)

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 CHAPTER 4
Past experiences with LHD automation

Prototypes and field tests

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Automatic tramming and hauling
LKAB, Kirunavaara mine

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LKAB, Malmberget Mine

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Lappland Goldminers AB, Zinkgruvan

BHP Billiton, Olympic Dam Mine

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Codelco, El Teniente mine

Newmont Mining Corporation, Jundee mine

INCO, Stobie mine and Creighton mine

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Inmet, Pyhäsalmi mine

Northgate Minerals Corporation, Stawell mine

RioTinto, Northparkes mine

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Rio Tinto, Diavik mine

Boliden Mineral AB, Garpenberg mine

Figure 16 Mobile operators station located in a van (Sandvik d)

Automatic loading and backfilling operations

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Outokompo, Kemi mine

XSTRATA, Brunswick division

BHP Billiton, Olympic Dam Operation

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Summary of the mines using/have been using automatic LHDs

Figure 17 Mines using/have been using automated LHDs

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Table 2 Overview of automated mines

Company Mine Country Using Manu- Automatic LHD/

facturer system Truck

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 CHAPTER 5
Maintenance

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 -

Maintenance experiences

INCO, Stobie mine

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Codelco, El Teniente mine

BHP Billiton, Olympic Dam Operation

Maintenance experiences for manual LHDs and truck fleets

Underground mine, Canada, case study

Underground mine, Palaboura mine, South Africa

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Underground mine, Chile, case study

Table 3 Manufacturers of Scoops (Hall et al. 2000)

Figure 18 Scoop fleet failures (Hall et al. 2000)

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 x

Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold open pit mine, Sierrita, Arizona

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x

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 CHAPTER 6
Past experiences with truck automation

Teck Cominco and Barrick Gold, Williams mine

INCO, Stobie mine

DeBeers Consolidated Mines, Finsch mine

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 CHAPTER 7
Concluding remarks

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REFERENCES

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