During the MINE Expo in Las Vegas, the mining equipment company Epiroc presented several innovations focused on automation and electrification with the aim of improving efficiency and environmental care, but above all the safety of operators.
This was specified by Ricardo Ornelas Ramirez, Business Manager of Drilling Equipment, who added that since the 1980s, Atlas Copco had already created an association called IRedes that sought to create a satellite communication system to facilitate communication between equipment.
"Later, in 2000, we started with automation and began on a small scale for small mining, integrating automation in pre-cutting equipment for aggregate production," Ornelas reported.
Since then, he said, it has been possible to automate different types of equipment, both for open-pit and subway mining, allowing for continuous evolution and development hand in hand with the customer.
On the floor of the MINE Expo in Las Vegas, the SmartRock D65 model with an electric prototype version, "which can work with a battery in transit to leave the pit and with 1,000-volt electric power operation with a view to achieving zero-emission targets", is being presented in a new way on the floor of the MINE Expo in Las Vegas.
The specialist pointed out that after the Expo in Las Vegas, it is necessary to continue with the dissemination of the equipment in different forums, in order to convince the customer that the technology is more of an advantage than an expense.
Epiroc