Robotic dogs are new employees in the world’s mining companies. These high-tech assistants are revolutionizing the way we approach safety and inspection in hazardous environments.
Leading mining companies are actively introducing robots to inspect hazardous areas. At Glencore’s Kidd Creek mine in Canada, Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot is inspecting mines at high risk of collapse. This avoids risk to the lives of personnel.
In Sweden, at LKAB’s Kiruna underground mine, another robot model performs LiDAR scanning. The collected data is used to create accurate digital twinin underground facilities, which is necessary for planning and monitoring.
The technology is not limited to underground work. At Vale’s open-air Caue plant in Brazil, the ANYmal robot checks the condition of equipment. It collects thermal imaging images of conveyor rollers and motors, audio recordings and photographs of sensor readings.
The robot performs similar tasks at Anglo American’s Amandelbult Tumela mine in South Africa. There he inspects workings after blasting and examines potentially dangerous areas.
This is not a complete list of companies using such robots. Specialists are already working to expand their functionality. In the future, the machines will be used for geotechnical monitoring and sampling at tailings ponds.
The introduction of robotic dogs marks a new stage in the mining industry. The main advantages are a significant increase in the level of worker safety and an increase in the efficiency of diagnostic operations. Companies receive reliable assistants for working in extreme conditions.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology.
Source: @rosmining_ru
