Innovative Mining Equipment: Key Factors for Successful Implementation

Abstract

With increasing social pressures over the past two decades, mining companies have become more concerned with occupational health and safety (OHS). This change in mentality has had an impact on the choice of new equipment introduced underground. Introduction of innovative mining equipment must now meet the double challenge of improving both productivity and OHS. However, innovative equipment does not by itself ensure success. The aim of this study is to identify the key factors that underlie successful introduction of new equipment in underground mines. We used a multi-attribute decision-aid tool, namely the dominance-based rough-set approach. Ten innovative equipment projects carried out in an underground mine in Quebec were analysed. The tool allowed simultaneous identification of the most relevant factors and critical thresholds thereof to establish levels of performance based on four indicators, namely cost per meter drilled, cost per hour of use, availability ratio and accident rate. Two factors were found most relevant to all four indicators of performance: the skill requirement and acceptance of the equipment by the operators. Seat quality was identified as a contributor to improving accident rate, while standardisation of the new equipment relative to the old contributed to productivity. Taking into consideration these key factors and their critical threshold values will help the directors of the participating mine to meet with success in terms of both productivity and OHS in future introduction of innovative equipment projects.

Emerging technologies in Indian mining industry: an exploratory empirical investigation regarding the adoption challenges

“…Factors such as the influence of union, acceptability of emerging technologies among employees and support provided by technology firms in implementation decided whether the said technology could be adopted and implemented successfully. These factors had been suggested by Boudreau-Trudel et al (2015). The experts also opined that it was quite common that firm managers feel unsatisfied post-implementation of the technology.…”

“…The authors identified several complementing factors on all the three contexts of technology, organization and environment which were missing in past research studies conducted by researchers (Gruenhagen and Parker, 2020; Boudreau-Trudel et al , 2015; Bartos, 2008), etc. These factors included technology factors such as complexity in implementation, less scope of trialability and the inability of technology firms to provide a customized solution.…”

“…There were studies undertaken to understand the factors affecting the adoption of technology in the mining industry (Gruenhagen and Parker, 2020). Boudreau-Trudel et al (2015)…”

“…There were studies undertaken to understand the factors affecting the adoption of technology in the mining industry (Gruenhagen and Parker, 2020). Boudreau-Trudel et al (2015) had identified skill requirements and acceptance by mining machinery operators as key success factors behind the successful adoption of new technologies in the mining industry. Gao et al (2019) regarded lack of firms’ capability, goal ambiguity, technological constraints and external constraints as challenges to adoption of digital transformation in mining firms.…”

A risk analysis model for mining accidents using a fuzzy approach based on fault tree analysis

“…Stages of use of high technology for mining activities in the world are mechanization, remote steering systems, automation and robotization (Kızıl et al , 1995). There are also some studies that consider the mining sector with the advanced automation technologies (Boudreau-Trudel et al , 2014, 2015; Bellamy and Pravica, 2011). However, operations of the mining sector in many countries are maintained by small-sized enterprises and by labor-intensive activities.…”