Developing a Future Vision of Sustainable Mining
Published 2012-01-11 00:00:00
Swedish and Polish mining companies have joined forces with suppliers of mining equipment and Luleå Technical University to develop a vision of the mine of the future. ÅF is involved as a project member and expert in underground technical solutions for mining, to achieve a safe working environment both now and in the future.
Developing a Future Vision of Sustainable Mining
Swedish and Polish mining companies have joined forces with suppliers of mining equipment and Luleå Technical University to develop a vision of the mine of the future. ÅF is involved as a project member and expert in underground technical solutions for mining, to achieve a safe working environment both now and in the future.
Metals and minerals are essential in today’s modern society. In Sweden, the two most commercially common types of mines are iron ore and sulphide ore. In the sulphide ore mines, copper, lead, zinc. Gold and silver are mined. Ore is further processed to produce metals and products, such as steel from iron ore for everyday technology, engineering and construction. Processes are constantly improved to make better use of the raw materials and lessen the environmental impact on water, earth, air and people.
For the mining industry to stay competitive and become safer, leaner and greener, the Mine of the Future project was launched in 2009 by RTC (Rock Tech Centre). The scope of the project is technology for a safer mining industry with reduced environmental impact, and making the industry an attractive place to work in the future. The first project phase – the conceptual study – started in 2009 and ended in 2010. The second phase, Smart Mine in the Future, ended in 2011, a number of feasibility studies have been completed. The purpose of these studies was to analyze what is possible to do in each area and how we should move on. One important delivery each feasibility study gave is a proposal for long-term research and development projects.
A unique joining of forces
The project is unique cooperation between not only different countries but also several industry sectors, such as producers, major global suppliers, consultants and academics. The Swedish mining companies Boliden and LKAB are involved, as is the Polish mining company KGHM. Together, the project partners have developed a shared vision of the mines are part of, and help create, a more sustainable society. The study has been chiefly financed by the partners, with partial funding from Vinnova through the Strategic Mining Research Programme.
Meeting the demands of the future
Mining prerequisites will change in the future. Mines will be deeper and lower grades will be mined under tougher work and environmental regulations. Mines are also highly likely to be located in remote areas with harsh climatic conditions. Finally, a consistent approach to social responsibility will be required.
The project identifies the strategic issues to be addressed in order to meet future demands and fit into a sustainable society. It pinpoints key areas for research, development and innovation that will form a basis for the Swedish Strategic Research, Development and Innovation Agenda (SRDIA) in the years 2011 to 2020. The project will also set the course of action required to make the vision a reality. ÅF has shared its expertise on underground technical solutions for mining with the Mine of the Future project, as well as its expertise on sustainable development.
The project vision
A vision of mining by 2030 has been drawn up. To achieve a sustainable mining industry that fits into the sustainable society of the future, the industry should aim for zero accidents, by developing technology and promoting new ideas in organization and safety. Mining has become much safer over the years, but improvements must continue so that the trend towards better safety does not plateau.
As with other industries, reducing energy use, cutting carbon dioxide emissions and preventing other harmful emissions – as well as reducing ore losses in mining – are important goals for the mining industry on the road to sustainability. The vision drawn up states that energy use, carbon dioxide emissions and ore losses should be cut by more than 30 percent by 2030, compared to the current baseline.
The sustainable mining industry of the future must also stay competitive to survive. This will be achieved through vigorous efforts in research, development and innovation, to gradually move the mining industry from full mechanization to a fully controlled process industry.
Safe, stable and sustainable mines
This project has seen ÅF share its expertise on underground technical solutions in mining, to profile and stabilize tunnels for a safer working environment.
ÅF proposes that ore should be extracted with surgical precision in future. This is due to the fact that underground mines are likely to get much deeper, simply because shallow ore bodies will already have been depleted. The deeper the mine, the more intricate the geology encountered, and the more efficient extraction will need to be. In the future, we may also expect an increase in the number of small shallow mines for mining minerals such as gold and rare earth elements (REE), and these may have a large impact on the environments.
ÅF has also flagged up the extreme importance of monitoring the mine’s stability. To create a safe working environment for employees, processing and mining activities should chiefly run from offices above ground. Operations should be based on incoming data from monitoring of the rock mass at depth. Stability and productivity are crucial for mining and will continue to be so in the future.
Source: pages 34-35 Green Advisor Report 2011:01
Metals and minerals are essential in today’s modern society. In Sweden, the two most commercially common types of mines are iron ore and sulphide ore. In the sulphide ore mines, copper, lead, zinc. Gold and silver are mined. Ore is further processed to produce metals and products, such as steel from iron ore for everyday technology, engineering and construction. Processes are constantly improved to make better use of the raw materials and lessen the environmental impact on water, earth, air and people.
For the mining industry to stay competitive and become safer, leaner and greener, the Mine of the Future project was launched in 2009 by RTC (Rock Tech Centre). The scope of the project is technology for a safer mining industry with reduced environmental impact, and making the industry an attractive place to work in the future. The first project phase – the conceptual study – started in 2009 and ended in 2010. The second phase, Smart Mine in the Future, ended in 2011, a number of feasibility studies have been completed. The purpose of these studies was to analyze what is possible to do in each area and how we should move on. One important delivery each feasibility study gave is a proposal for long-term research and development projects.
A unique joining of forces
The project is unique cooperation between not only different countries but also several industry sectors, such as producers, major global suppliers, consultants and academics. The Swedish mining companies Boliden and LKAB are involved, as is the Polish mining company KGHM. Together, the project partners have developed a shared vision of the mines are part of, and help create, a more sustainable society. The study has been chiefly financed by the partners, with partial funding from Vinnova through the Strategic Mining Research Programme.
Meeting the demands of the future
Mining prerequisites will change in the future. Mines will be deeper and lower grades will be mined under tougher work and environmental regulations. Mines are also highly likely to be located in remote areas with harsh climatic conditions. Finally, a consistent approach to social responsibility will be required.
The project identifies the strategic issues to be addressed in order to meet future demands and fit into a sustainable society. It pinpoints key areas for research, development and innovation that will form a basis for the Swedish Strategic Research, Development and Innovation Agenda (SRDIA) in the years 2011 to 2020. The project will also set the course of action required to make the vision a reality. ÅF has shared its expertise on underground technical solutions for mining with the Mine of the Future project, as well as its expertise on sustainable development.
The project vision
A vision of mining by 2030 has been drawn up. To achieve a sustainable mining industry that fits into the sustainable society of the future, the industry should aim for zero accidents, by developing technology and promoting new ideas in organization and safety. Mining has become much safer over the years, but improvements must continue so that the trend towards better safety does not plateau.
As with other industries, reducing energy use, cutting carbon dioxide emissions and preventing other harmful emissions – as well as reducing ore losses in mining – are important goals for the mining industry on the road to sustainability. The vision drawn up states that energy use, carbon dioxide emissions and ore losses should be cut by more than 30 percent by 2030, compared to the current baseline.
The sustainable mining industry of the future must also stay competitive to survive. This will be achieved through vigorous efforts in research, development and innovation, to gradually move the mining industry from full mechanization to a fully controlled process industry.
Safe, stable and sustainable mines
This project has seen ÅF share its expertise on underground technical solutions in mining, to profile and stabilize tunnels for a safer working environment.
ÅF proposes that ore should be extracted with surgical precision in future. This is due to the fact that underground mines are likely to get much deeper, simply because shallow ore bodies will already have been depleted. The deeper the mine, the more intricate the geology encountered, and the more efficient extraction will need to be. In the future, we may also expect an increase in the number of small shallow mines for mining minerals such as gold and rare earth elements (REE), and these may have a large impact on the environments.
ÅF has also flagged up the extreme importance of monitoring the mine’s stability. To create a safe working environment for employees, processing and mining activities should chiefly run from offices above ground. Operations should be based on incoming data from monitoring of the rock mass at depth. Stability and productivity are crucial for mining and will continue to be so in the future.
