The outstanding performance of CEEC sponsors Goldcorp, Newmont, Orica, Sandvik and Weir Minerals and other leading companies has been recognised by the Mining Magazine in its 2018 awards which celebrate excellence in the mining industry.
CEEC CEO Alison Keogh congratulated the winners.
“These awards highlight the diversity of innovations being put into practice in the fast-moving space of digital transformation, artificial intelligence and automation. They also illustrate the importance of collaboration and partnerships in driving sustainable improvements across the mining industry,” she said.
The awards recognise IBM Exploration and Watson’s use of artificial intelligence to predict the potential for gold mineralisation. Their technology uses powerful search and query capabilities across different exploration datasets. At Goldcorp’s Red Lake, one of the largest gold mines in Canada, IBM Exploration and Watson provided independent verification of the drill targets geologists set using traditional methods.
Sandvik has developed OptiMine, a powerful suite of digital tools for analysing and optimising mine production and other processes. By integrating disperse data into one source, OptiMine provides predictive capability in real time. Users have recorded reduced downtime, increased tonnes hauled and improved safety.
Orica Senior Underground Blasting Specialist Steve Piercey was recognised for identifying an opportunity to use WebGen™ technology, the world’s first wireless blasting system technology, to reduce dilution in the production stopes. The outcome of this work is the temporary rib pillar (TRB) mining method in which the main ore of the panel can now be blasted and extracted while the TRP holds back the waste rock backfill. The inaccessible pillars can be blasted, delivering reduced dilution, increased truck fill factors and improved productivity. TRP has been used at Goldcorp’s Musselwhite operation in Ontario, Canada.
Newmont has partnered with International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to identify ways it can meet its global targets of no net loss in biodiversity.
Weir Minerals’ Synertrex (smart sensors on an array of Weir products) allows operators to monitor how their equipment is performing. By identifying issues before they occur, Synertrex can help to reduce downtime and optimise equipment performance across a plant circuit.
“Every year, Mining Magazine celebrates excellence in the mining industry by inviting our readers to nominate people, companies or groups that they feel have demonstrated outstanding commitment to advancing the state of play in mining over the past 12 months. The shortlisted candidates are then put to the vote,” said Ailbhe Goodbody.
Awards
- Exploration winners: Goldcorp and IBM Canada
- Software winner: Sandvik
- Load and haul winner: Goodyear
- Drill and blast winner: Steve Piercey, Orica
- Safety winner: Global Mining Guidelines Group
- Environmental excellence winners: Newmont and IUCN
- Mineral processing winner: Weir Minerals
- Bulk handling winner: Mining3
- Technology winner: Airobotics
- Service and support winner: Komatsu Minnig
- Editor’s Award winner: Epiroc.
See the full story by Ailbhe Goodbody, Mining Magazine, here.