Rio Tinto funds new robotics centre

Rio Tinto has recently announced funding for one of the world's largest civilian robotics research centres. Based at the University of Sydney, the centre for mine automation will be led by Professor Durrant-Whyte and will be based at the university's Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR).

Head of technology and innovation for Rio Tinto, Dr Grant Thorne believes that by developing technology, research and training in mine automation, Rio Tinto expects to add value to its existing mine operations.

"This will enable us to deliver a long term competitive advantage, and to increase knowledge of new systems within the group's operations. The centre aims to provide a substantial improvement in safety, predictability, precision and efficiency of mining through the development of automation and remote operation across mining systems," he said.

The centre will support 28 full-time staff and ten research students, with funding of up to $A5 million a year, and is expected to operate for five to ten years. A technical management group including representatives from Rio Tinto and the University of Sydney will guide strategic direction and monitor centre performance in the research.

According to Eduard Nebot from the ACFR, it's important to have a centre like this established because mining is a capital investment industry.

"Resource-based economics will be facing enormous challenges to remain competitive in a global economy. Mine operations are in most cases located in isolated areas making the attraction of staff very difficult and relocation of personnel very expensive," he said.

"Mining itself is becoming difficult as the deposits discovered are deeper and more difficult to mine, which does not justify accommodation at the site. The development of field robotic automation will be a major resource to address these problems. The growth of the global mining industry into new low-cost regions has and will continue to put pressure on Australia's mining industry and the competitiveness of the minerals industry."

As robotics looks set to become the way of the future in the mining sector, Eduard Nebot suggests that automated and autonomous systems are beginning to make a significant appearance at modern mine sites.

"At the simplest level, such systems act as adjuncts to manned vehicles in providing, for example, location information, collision warning or driver enhancements."

"At a more complex level, a number of automated machines for hauling, excavation and loading are being introduced and have had some level of success in underground applications. Open pit mines present additional challenges due to the large number of vehicles and other resources operating in a confined space," he said.

"Furthermore, new mineral deposits are being developed in even more remote places where skilled labour is difficult to attract. But above all mining could be made all but fatality-free with all the processes and repetitive tasks being automated."

The ACFR's long term vision for developing and applying robotics in mining will mean that mining equipment will be able to operate fully autonomously and with a lesser number of personnel.

"Personnel will always be required but will be mainly allocated to mine planning and operation, maintenance of machines and infrastructure. In general, the challenges in mining automation will become increasingly formidable as the level of autonomy increases. The introduction of incremental automation will require fundamental developments in perception and control," said Eduard Nebot.

"Essentially new sensing technology and mathematical algorithms will need to be developed to give machines the level of reasoning required to operate autonomously in a safe and predictable manner."