Longwall automation at Glencore’s Oaky Creek Coal

Glencore

“20 years ago, it was a pipe dream. Five years ago, it was ‘maybe we can get there’. Now, we are actually there. We have a longwall being operated from the surface on a safe, regular and controlled basis. “

Lauris Hemmings, Engineering & Maintenance Manager at Oaky Creek Coal, is talking about advances in longwall automation at the Glencore underground mine in Central Queensland. Oaky Creek has been at the forefront of trials of CSIRO laser scanning technology that allows longwall operations to be managed remotely from an above-ground control centre. The “ExScan” technology takes a full three-dimensional scan and, through a combination of Wi-Fi and optic fibre, transmits the images from the coal face to the control centre. Operators capture the data on a bank of computer screens to provide a panoramic view of the longwall face, accurate to millimetres, that enables remote guidance of the longwall equipment.

Mr Hemmings said the images generated by the ExScan equipment are also able to be used to identify blockages on conveyor systems under the shearing equipment as well as perfectly aligning the shearers themselves in the coal seam. “It’s an ever-evolving piece of equipment that takes the management of risk to people to even higher levels,” he explained. “The scanners can be mounted in any orientation and on moving equipment and vehicles. This could eventually enable whole mines to be mapped. So we really are only a few steps away from actually being able to take people away from machinery interaction and a hazardous environment, and keep them in a safer place by supporting the mining operation near to the production face, or operating the production face from above ground.” The technology has been pioneered by engineers at the CSIRO Centre for Advanced Technologies in Brisbane. Principal research engineer Dr Mark Dunn said the team’s goal was achieving “hands free” coal mining operations with no negative impact on productivity. “Once we have 10,000 tonnes of equipment that is hundreds of metres underground fully automated, this will really become one of the biggest robots in the world," Dr Dunn told ABC in a recent interview. Oaky Creek has been trialling the equipment for the past two years. Initially, the equipment was remotely operated one day a week. This increased to several fullscale trials carried out for weeks at a time with over 50 of the ExScan units in place. The mine’s next longwall panel will see the full integration into day-to-day operations, meaning that not operating remotely will be the exception. “This technology substantially reduces risk by taking people away from exposure to gas, dust and moving equipment,” said Darren Nicholls, Director of Underground Operations for Glencore’s Australian coal business. “Our Oaky Creek operation has not just talked automation but has shown what can be achieved when a team pulls together for a common goal.” 

Once we have 10,000 tonnes of equipment that is hundreds of metres underground fully automated, this will really become one of the biggest robots in the world.