A Sandvik concept loader advancing in the company’s test mine. Credit: Sandvik
Next-generation digital solutions can significantly improve underground safety thanks to the Next Generation Mining (NGMining) project. A joint R&D project coordinated by VTT demonstrates the potential of industrial 5G and edge intelligence in this area, creating new solutions for safe underground mining.
VTT, Nokia and Sandvik, among other Finnish companies, have taken steps to deploy state-of-the-art private 5G wireless networks and edge intelligence to support autonomous mining. The recently completed NGMining project was tasked with exploring, demonstrating and evaluating the feasibility and potential of industrial 5G, digital twins and edge computing to enable the safe digitalization of underground mines. The aim is to provide highly automated and remotely controlled mining operations.
Key deliverables of the project include a variety of novel solutions based on 5G and edge intelligence. These technologies enable virtual and dynamic safe zone algorithms and concepts, situational awareness and adaptive autonomous control solutions for autonomous mobile mining equipment, 360° live video streaming of underground vehicles, and digital twins of underground mining sites connecting on-site systems and equipment. wait.
Vehicles for near real-time communications. Radio signal measurements were also performed to improve the design capabilities and performance of wireless networks in underground environments. These solutions can improve the safety, productivity and environmental sustainability of underground mining.
The project developed and applied a new R&D process in which consortiums collaborate on shared long-term goals, experimental system architecture, iterative development of prototype systems, and evaluation experiments.
The development process included multiple rounds of prototyping and evaluation testing, allowing the technology to be evaluated and refined from the laboratory to the integrated prototype system in Sandvik’s underground test mine. In addition, a series of workshops on mine information modeling were held, involving relevant stakeholders outside the Finnish and foreign consortium.
“The underground mining environment is unique and complex. To better understand the factors that influence the safety, reliability and performance of the prototype systems developed for this project, Sandvik established a state-of-the-art test mine facility in Tampere as a trial for NGMining technology and a test bed for demonstrations.
We provide real mining use cases where prototypes can be deployed and tested. In addition to solving the technical issues of NGMining, it is also great to develop and learn new ways of working with project partners.” Sandvik Commercialization and Networking said manager Miika Kaski.
The NGMining project begins in May 2021 and ends in September 2023. The project also includes the University of Oulu as research partner, and Epec, SATEL, Huld, Terrasolid, Etteplan, Noptel, Unikie, Iiwari, Millsecond, Wizense and Indagon as corporate partners. The project advisory board includes representatives from Outokumpu and Agnico Eagle Finland, Telia 5G Business, Kalmar and Ponsse. The project is funded by Business Finland in the context of the Nokia and Sandvik Veturi programme.
View the four-minute YouTube video on Nokia’s channel.
