24th March 2023
Mining should pay close attention to collision avoidance in and around their operations since it is one of the main factors in fatal accidents in the mining sector when workers collide with gear or vehicles.
The mining industry is expanding quickly as a result of the rising demand for natural resources. Yet, there are a number of dangers and hazards associated with mining. The majority of dangers are caused by miners' closeness to moving vehicles and their work in cramped spaces. As a result, mining corporations have prioritized investments in collision avoidance technologies over the past few years in order to lessen these dangers. In order to prevent collisions, establish safe zones, and give mining operators proximity awareness without interfering with their job, collision avoidance systems in mines track sensors, tags, and vehicles.
Modern technology makes these processes more efficient, simpler to use, and less invasive for new employees.
Most effective in this Collision Avoidance is the tracking system which monitors and tracks down the positions of workers and equipment devices to make sure both of them won’t come in contact with each other. This also comes in tag forms, which workers use in their vehicles and machinery equipment, which also via the control center get the information feed fetched through those tags connected to them. Through this, the human operating can look clearly at the relative positions of everything inside the mines, usually in underground or surface operations.
In order to prevent collisions from happening, these collision avoidance systems additionally have sirens and notifications that sound when two tags are moved too closely together.
These collision detection features may also be adjusted, allowing for the establishment of bigger or smaller safe zones for people and machines of various sizes, resulting in a system where warnings are tuned to the scope and purpose of certain operations.
In order to prevent accidents and to ensure mine safety in general, visibility is crucial. Tracking systems assist give vision beyond what human employees can see with their eyes, boosting safety across all activities. This visibility helps staff to be aware of their surroundings, reducing the likelihood that they will be involved in a crash. The availability of automatic monitoring and notifications also makes it possible for workers to see more clearly without being distracted, which might jeopardize staff or place them in riskier circumstances.
From 2023 to 2030, a CAGR of 10.2% is anticipated for the worldwide Collision Avoidance System Market in the Mining Industry, which is expected to reach a value of $5,804.13 million USD in 2023.
The demand for key minerals is anticipated to soar during the following three decades. By 2050, the annual demand for essential minerals from renewable energy technologies is expected to approach $400 billion, which is equal to the annual sales of the coal industry today, predicts the International Energy Agency. The rate of worldwide acceptance and implementation of energy transition technologies may be significantly slowed down if the sector is unable to fulfill demand. The costliest part of an EV battery is its raw ingredients. The major determinant of whether EVs can compete with and ultimately replace conventional internal-combustion cars is the quantity and cost of input battery metals. Without a question, the upcoming wave of cutting-edge technology, including collision avoidance systems, has the potential to bring us a big distance closer to zero injuries. Businesses may move beyond a straightforward review of historical occurrences by using analytics in conjunction with the appropriate data to identify probable future situations that could raise the risk of an incident occurring. Safety problems may be avoided with the use of these prediction models.
The study finds that 53% of mining fatalities in Australia are caused by pedestrians and automobiles, with vehicle interactions accounting for 35% of those deaths. Accidents defined as "struck-by or caught-in machinery and powered haulage equipment" account for about 40% of serious injuries (deaths and permanent disabilities) in the mining sector in the United States.
The fact that more than half of the mines have already deployed or are preparing to deploy CAS serves as proof. For the most part, collision-related fatalities and injuries have significantly decreased. Every collision avoidance technology must be seen as a component of a coordinated risk management approach across the contemporary mining site, even though CAS systems may be considered the "silver bullet" for averting deadly collisions.
Hexagon Mining, Caterpillar, Becker Mining Systems, AMTIL, LSM, Torsa, Booyco Electronics, Becker Mining Systems.
Development in Recent Times
We need to focus on CAS since it is essential to today's growing safety concerns, the need for better sustainability, and the requirement that our society decarbonizes both nationally and internationally. 90% of business executives surveyed anticipate an increase in sales revenue over the next year, with quarterly increases ranging from 20% to 50%. Urbanization has led to high market demand, which is the main driver of growth. Productivity-led growth has also been recorded, and greater technology investment has made it possible. It is important to note that the major driver of growth is not commodity prices, indicating that the mining sector is growing due to a variety of new collaboration opportunities. While miners are still getting used to the quick speed of technological progress, businesses are working together to solve some of the most significant issues and possibilities in mining, such as decarbonization and automation.