Epiroc and ASI Mining have signed a contract to automate a mixed fleet of 77 haul trucks from manned used at the Western Australia iron ore mine owned by Roy Hill.
Epiroc/ASI Mining will meet Roy Hill’s requirements to deliver a safe, interoperable solution for its truck fleet. The solution will have the ability to expand to other mining vehicle types and manufacturers, as well as capability to integrate with existing and future Roy Hill systems, Roy Hill said in a media release. As part of this project Epiroc/ASI Mining will work closely with Hitachi/Wencomine on truck conversion and integration of Roy Hill’s existing Wenco fleet management system.
“Roy Hill is well positioned to transition to automation. Our teams on site and in our remote operations centre (ROC) in Perth have demonstrated a clear capacity to deliver complex projects, sustainable change and operational excellence with the recent success of the autonomous drill program and fleet optimization initiatives. Now is the right time to bring the combined expertise of Roy Hill, Epiroc, ASI Mining and Wencotogether to convert our haul truck fleet,” said Roy Hill chief executive officer Barry Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald said safety as a key driver of the project. The commitment to people also extends to the effective transition of impacted operators to other roles. In addition, Fitzgerald anticipated a range of operational benefits including increased productivity of the fleet.
“Care is one of our core values, with safety at the heart of everything we do. Roy Hill’s Smart Mine program is driving innovation across our business, and the automation of our haulage fleet is central to delivering safety and production improvements,” Fitzgerald added.
Having delivered major automation projects across the globe, Epiroc and ASI Mining will bring together a highly credentialed delivery team based in West Australia who will leverage the knowhow of a worldwide team of experts.
“Epiroc is proud to collaborate with Roy Hill, ASI Mining and other partners to automate Roy Hill’s haul truck fleet, boosting safety and productivity for a crucial aspect of its mining operation,” said Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s senior executive vice president Mining and Infrastructure.
“This is a very strong example of how automation will take a mining company’s operation to the next level.”
ASI chief executive officer, Mel Torrie, said “ASI Mining is pleased to partner with all key suppliers including mining technology integrator Sedna to deliver an AHS solution at Roy Hill – a world-class major iron ore operation. As a manufacturer-agnostic solutions provider ASI Mining looks forward to highlighting the opportunities presented by an interoperable approach to autonomous mining.”
Roy Hill has carefully considered the impact of this project on its people, with reskilling and redeployment plans to assist operators to transition to new roles within the business. “Our people are the driving force behind our success. We are committed to an automation journey that creates an environment in which our people can develop new skills critical to the workforce of the future. Our focus is on setting people up to succeed and further contribute to the Roy Hill community,” Fitzgerald said.
The project will see a phased implementation, with testing and production verification of up to eight trucks undertaken in the initial phase prior to the second phase of full fleet expansion from mid-2021.
Source : me.smenet.org