New Technologies Transform Mining Into a Safer Industry

On Aug. 03, 2022, a coal mine collapsed in Sabinas, Coahuila, resulting in 10 workers being trapped. Although the incident happened in an unregulated coal deposit, the collapse brought light to the debate about the need to improve safety conditions for mining workers. 

According to CAMIMEX, the mining industry has improved its safety conditions up to an average incidence rate of 1.01 accidents for every 100 workers in 2021. This is a remarkable achievement for the industry, considering the national average is 1.54, while in sectors that might be perceived as safer, like supermarkets and department stores, the rate is 2.93. 

These results are not enough, however. “Even having a low 1% accident rate means at least one worker will not go back home and we cannot accept this,” Jorge Garate, CEO, Minverso, stated. The mining industry therefore must continue working on developing safer conditions. To achieve this goal, industry insiders believe technology could play an important role. 

Safety is something to keep in mind from the very beginning of the project. New technologies allow developers to design mines digitally, making processes more efficient and with fewer workers inside a mining project. Technology providers like Nokia, who lead the 4G and 5G connectivity trend, believe the implementation of such technologies in open-pit and underground projects could lead to crewless mines. 5G enables real-time remote control of high-speed robots and drones. It also allows operators to have real-time information about dangerous activities inside the mine, allowing them to quickly act and prevent accidents. 

However, 5G technologies are still not widely used in the Mexican industry. According to the Federal Institute of Telecommunications (IFT), only Industrias Peñoles and Minera Autlán have asked the institute to incorporate the 148-174 MHz frequency band in their activities. Industrias Peñoles has already implemented this frequency band at the Velardeña complex in Durango. Here, the company uses remotely operated equipment, which allows it to supervise workers in real-time from an operation room, using optic fiber and Wi-Fi hotspots. “We know through the screens where each worker is. Furthermore, workers can also communicate with us in case of an emergency,” said Luis Vázquez, Director of Mines, Industrias Peñoles.

Improvements in connectivity lead to remote monitoring, which can help miners make decisions and enable predictive maintenance via artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. Algorithms nowadays can learn from past actions and predict when an incident would happen by detecting anomalous behavior. These algorithms can also be re-trained to adapt to different conditions, not only offering improvement in security but also in the environmental impact and efficiency of a mining project. 

Training processes can also be enhanced through the use of virtual reality (VR) technology, which can be implemented in stages. The first of these can include videos of the inside of a mining project via VR glasses to help workers become familiar with their future workspaces. As a second stage, companies can enable VR training to allow full interaction with the site’s equipment, even encouraging making mistakes in a safe environment. According to Industrias Peñoles, a company that has implemented this technology since 2017, the process is comparable to the training received by pilots and is more suitable for younger generations. 

VR technology is just the first step to bringing remote work into the mining industry. Industry insiders believe that in the future, workers will be able to work from remote locations, avoiding getting hurt inside a mining project. These technologies also help train students, who eventually will enter the mining workforce. “One of the best-equipped CONALEPs is in Zacatecas, near Peñasquito. In the future, mining operation rooms will consist of millennials with joysticks and screens rather than people getting hurt with a drill on the ground. Workers will operate their equipment remotely,” said Luis Ibarlucea, Director of Supply Chain, First Majestic.

The implementation of new technology could be challenging to companies as some workers are reluctant to adopt new systems, whether because of fear of losing their jobs or just not perceiving them as a viable solution. Some experts argue that technology may not necessarily take away jobs, but rather provide workers with more time to focus on higher-value tasks within a mining project.

To foster adoption, companies suggest focusing on an innovation-based culture, which does not necessarily mean developing their own technology. “Mining operators must be specialists in mining, not in technological advances,” said Mauricio Orea, Heavy Industry Sales Manager, Rockwell Automation.