Mining technology company Orica has developed a robot that significantly increases worker safety and improves efficiency in one of the most dangerous industries in the world: mining. It’s especially dangerous for those crews that must blast tunnels.
Orica is responding to this challenge with its Avatel robot, which partially automates the charging and blasting process. Traditional development charging practices expose personnel to danger—not only from the explosives themselves but also from falling rock or seismic activity that could occur when they lay the charges.
Adequately managing the risk of this process has required mine operators to implement risk controls to protect their employees—but this has also slowed the mining cycle, increased costs, and led to delays in accessing new resources.
The Avatel robot, which will be commercially available near the end of 2022, will allow a single operator to prepare and wirelessly charge explosives from inside the safety of an enclosed cabin meters away from the blast point. Orica claims that it is equipped with the most advanced underground development charging system ever designed.
Underground mining involves a four-step process: drilling blast holes, filling those holes with explosives (or “charging”), detonating the explosives and, finally, removing the broken rock (or “mucking”). In the charging phase, primer-detonator assemblies are placed in the blast holes via a flexible hose. The blast holes are then filled with liquid explosives, pushing the primer-detonator assembly to the back of the hole—which can be 30 to 60 meters deep. Each assembly has a detonator wire that snakes back out of the hole. Once a series of blast holes are prepared, the detonator wires are joined together and the rock is blasted.
Mechanizing and automating this process has so far proved challenging due to the manual connections needed to initiate a blast. Avatel resolves this issue by deploying Orica’s WebGen 200 wireless in-hole initiating system—which can be triggered by a firing command signal that can be communicated safely from hundreds of meters away, even through rock, water and air. It also has a fail-safe function to boost safety.
The risk to workers is significantly reduced by moving them away from the face of the rock that will be detonated. Hole loading and timing are automated, including an advanced string loading capability and electronic detonators—giving operators complete control over energy flow and further strengthening worker safety. Avatel also eliminates the need for redundant ground support at the blast site, which is otherwise required to protect workers at the rock face. This results in a more efficient development cycle and reduced downtime when handling detonated materials, including preventing excess steel in blasted muck areas from getting into materials handling systems and downstream processes.
With the Avatel robot, mining companies could find it easier to access future and deeper pockets of ores—even in problem areas that have seismic or other challenges.
“As mines advance deeper and ore bodies become more complex, the need for safer, automated solutions that support a more efficient mining cycle becomes more apparent,” said Adam Mooney, Orica’s vice president of Blasting Technology. “Development charging is the final step in the underground development cycle yet to be mechanized or automated. It is really inspiring to think that exposure to hazards at the face for development blast crews will soon be a thing of the past.”
Orica developed Avatel in partnership with fellow mining technology company Epiroc. In fact, the robot is designed to be integrated with Epiroc’s Boomer M2C drilling rig.
“The convergence of our advanced technologies will redefine how we approach face operations and is a significant step in the journey toward eliminating risks to personnel while unlocking substantial value and opportunities for our customers,” said Angus Melbourne, Orica’s chief technology officer.
Avatel promises to be a game changer in the mining industry and has been recognized by Popular Science in its 2021 “Best of What’s New” list. By making the mining process safer and more efficient, this technology promises to unlock more valuable resources deep underground.
Read more about how engineering is transforming the mining industry at Drilling Down Into Underground Mining Equipment.