World’s first highly automated short interval
control system for hard-rock underground mines
The Customer
Our client is one of the world’s largest gold mining companies that owns and operates mines in Australia and internationally, with gold reserves representing more than 25 years of production.
The Problem
Shift planners were looking for a way to dispatch LHDs according to an optimised draw strategy that would enable them to respond to changes in real time. Planners needed to meet long-term objectives and compliance goals, while factoring in complex operational and geotechnical constraints to maximise productivity of block cave assets.
The Challenges
- Making the best plan from over one billion potential draw strategies
- Delivering a draw strategy that adheres to numerous caving and operational constraints
- Aggregating real-time data from multiple sources
The Solution
Polymathian designed and developed ORB, the world’s first highly automated Short Interval Control (SIC) system for hard-rock underground mines, resulting in:
- Maximum productivity with guaranteed optimality using Industrial Mathematics
- Successful transition to a continuous draw strategy
- Centralised dashboard display providing accurate visual representation of live cave state
- Increased accuracy, completeness and value of historical operational data
- Autonomous real-time LHD dispatch decisions sent direct to operators via on-board tablets with 2-way communication capability
The Value
20%
Improvement to mine productivity
17%
Improvement to draw compliance
Digital Twin
Digital representation of active cave state