It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Thursday, June 08, 2023
Video: MSC Containership on Fire in Persian Gulf Near UAE
National Search and Rescue Center in the UAE reports a fire on an MSC vessel (NSRCUAE)
The National Search and Rescue Center of the National Guard from the United Arab Emirates is reporting that it assisted an MSC containership (registered in Panama) that was experiencing a fire while in their territorial waters. Few details have been released other than a brief video posted by the NSRCUAE on social media.
According to the report, the unnamed MSC vessel had requested assistance and three tugs were working to help extinguish the fire which appears from the video to be in the stern of the ship. It is not known if it is a container fire.
The NSRCUAE reports that their helicopter evacuated a crewmember who is believed to have suffered severe burns. The report only indicated that the crewmember was taken to a hospital to receive “necessary treatment.”
Several MSC containerships are in the region and specifically the Khalifa Anchorage where the fire is believed to be taking place. The website Salvage and Wreck is identifying the vessel as the MSC Rita. AIS data shows that the MSC Rita had arrived in the region from West Africa. If it is the correct vessel, it has been in the UAE since June 4.
The MSC Rita is an 18-year-old containership. It is 104,850 dwt with a length of 1,065 feet. It has a carrying capacity of 8,034 TEU.
Video: Japanese Coastal Cargo Ship Runs Aground
Images from the TV news show the vessel hard aground (TBS News/YouTube)
[Brief] Japanese media is broadcasting images of a small coastal cargo vessel that went aground overnight on June 7. There are no reports of injuries while attempts are underway to refloat the vessel.
The news report said the cargo ship named Taisei Maru No.21, a 31-year-old vessel, was sailing in Japan’s Inner Sea east of the city of Hiroshima in a position near Kasaoka. It became stranded at approximately 1:00 a.m. local time with no reports of bad weather impacting the operations. The vessel had been sailing between Takasago City near Kobe in the eastern portion of the sea to Kure City near Hiroshima. The vessel is reported to be 249 feet long and 1,400 dwt.
The video shows the vessel mostly out of the water struck on the rocks of a small peninsular. Reports are saying there was no pollution or signs of hull damage. Five crewmembers were aboard and reported to be uninjured.
A tugboat was sent to assist and was planning to attempt to refloat the vessel at high tide.
NTSB: Cell Phone and Distracted Officers Caused Bulker-OSV Collision
Bulker Bunun Queen collided with the OSV Thunder with both vessels on auto pilot and the officers distracted (NTSB)
The use of a personal cell phone by an officer on watch is being cited by the National Transportation Safety Board as the probable cause of a vessel collision that resulted in $12.3 million in damages and endangered the lives of 38 crewmembers aboard a bulk carrier and offshore supply vessel in the Gulf of Mexico. In a report released today, the safety board faults both vessels for not maintaining a proper lookout while traveling in a busy sea lane and not using the navigation resources available to help safeguard their operations.
“Nonoperational use of cell phones should never interfere with the primary task of a watchstander or a bridge team member to maintain a proper lookout. It is important for personnel to follow established protocols regarding cell phone use,” the NTSB writes in its report. They further highlight that both vessels only had a single person on the bridge leading up to the collision further faulting the master of the OSV for not following his company’s watchkeeping policies.
The collision occurred on July 23, 2022, approximately 66 miles south of Port Fourchon, Louisiana. The weather was not an issue with the report saying there was good visibility, daylight, and fair-weather conditions. They further note that each vessel’s automatic radar and plotting aid displays and AIS receivers were able to detect the vessels but that no alarms were set and with the officers on the bridge performing personal non-navigational tasks they were not checking the displays.
OSV received a significant penetration causing flooding and nearly $12 million in damages (USCG)
The Bunun Queen, a 590-foot, 37,300 dwt bulk carrier operated by Widom Marine International, departed Houston mid-day on July 22. The vessel was traveling in ballast bound for New Orleans. Before the accident, the vessel was on autopilot with a speed of 14.8 knots. There were 20 crew members aboard.
The second vessel was the Thunder, a 252-foot offshore supply vessel operated by Jackson Offshore Operations. The OSV had departed an offshore oil platform approximately 130 miles south of the port and was returning with a crew of 18 as well as cargo equipment and parts on its main deck. It was also on autopilot traveling at 10 knots before the accident.
The NTSB report reconstructs the actions before the accident reporting that the master was on the bridge of the OSV. He had sent the second mate and a mate-in-training to perform other tasks saying he would take the watch. While on the bulker, the second officer was on the bridge but the vessel’s AB had also left the bridge leaving the second officer without a dedicated lookout.
The master of the OSV later admitted to the NTSB that he had made a personal call using his cell phone, which he said lasted about one minute. Then he began using dictation to send personal text messages. At the same time, the second officer on the bridge of the bulker had begun printing updates for electronic navigation charts and digital publications. Later replaying the recording from each vessel’s VDR, the NTSB reports hearing “a machine” on the bridge of the bulker and the sounds of a “commercial (advertisement)” on the recording from the OSV.
The second mate aboard the OSV and an AB both saw the bulker approaching and sought to alert the master, who responded by disengaging autopilot, increasing the throttles, and turning to port “to minimize damage to the vessel.” Records show the bulker was still on autopilot.
Damage to the bulbous bow of the Bunun Queen (USCG)
The bulbous bow of the Bunun Queen struck the port side of the Thunder. The port side propulsion room of the OSV was penetrated and started to flood. The Thunder began to list to port and trim by the stern. The vessel lost propulsion but the chief engineer was able to maintain the electrical generators to power the ship. Eleven of the 18 crew were evacuated to another vessel in the area and the Thunder was towed to Port Fourchon.
The report concludes the penetration above and below the waterline of the Thunder caused its port propulsion room, port cargo tank, and port ballast tank to flood with repair costs of $11.6 million. The Bunun Queen suffered $680,000 in damages, including multiple dents and a crack in its bulbous bow, and a hull fracture in its shell plating.
The NTSB again cautions on the use of personal electronic devices saying they are distracting and companies should have policies against their use. Further, it is important for personnel to follow established protocols regarding cell phone use and watch policies.
Irish Coast Guard Airlifts Crew from Grounded Trawler
Irish Coast Guard airlifted the crew of a grounded fishing boat to safety (Castletownbere Coast Guard photos)
The Irish Coast Guard responded to a grounded fishing trawler on the west coast on Friday airlifting nine crewmembers to safety. The Coast Guard reports it was a challenging situation but that everyone was safe and the vessel was eventually pulled from the rocks.
A Coast Guard helicopter was first on the scene on Friday afternoon, June 2, finding the French-registered fishing vessel hard aground on the rocks near Dursey Island at the end of the Beara Peninsula. By the time they arrived, the crew of the vessel was all on deck in lifejackets. The helicopter was joined by an RNLI lifeboat from Castletownbere and the RCC Valentia from the Coast Guard.
The RNLI reports that they observed the 105-foot long vessel “listing and rocking back and forth,” raising concern for the safety of the crew. The weather conditions however were overall favorable with light winds and a moderate swell.
Because of the angle of the deck and the rocking motion the helicopter crew decided to begin airlifting the crew off the trawler. They later said the concern was that the vessel would roll over further. Nine non-essential crewmembers were taken aboard and transferred to shore.
Fishing boat being towed to port after being pulled away from the rocks (Castletownbere Coast Guard)
The vessel, a 35-year-old steel-hulled ship named Grand Saint Bernard had departed the port of Castletownbere, on the west coast of Ireland. The vessel, which is homeported at Bayonne in southwest France, had offloaded its catch in Ireland and refueled before heading back out toward the fishing grounds. Coast Guard officials were concerned over a potential diesel leak because the ship was reported to have full tanks.
The master of the Grand Saint Bernard, along with the engineer and a mate, chose to remain aboard the vessel. With the help of the lifeboat and three tugboats that had come to its assistance, they were able to refloat the vessel approximately three hours later at high tide. The trawler was pulled away from the rocks. While they reported no leaks or significant hull damage, the lifeboat said the trawler lost steering approximately 100 meters from shore.
The trawler was towed into the port of Castletownbere. It will be dry-docked for further inspection.
D-Day: Pausing to Remember the Largest Seaborne Invasion in History
Company E, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division goes ashore at Omaha Beach (Robert L. Sargent / USCG)
Today, June 6, marks the 79th anniversary of the beginning of the Allied forces' landing on the beaches of Normandy, France for what was called the “liberation of Europe.” Although planning is already underway for larger events next year to mark the milestone 80th anniversary, each passing year becomes more significant as fewer veterans remain to recount firsthand the stories of bravery from that day.
It was the largest amphibious assault in history supported by years of planning and ingenuity as well as a flotilla of ships both for the landing and in the days that followed. The beach landings, the efforts at climbing the cliffs, and the paratroopers that went in behind enemy lines to take control of key crossroads are perhaps the most enduring symbols of courage supported by countless personnel all along the operation. The Maritime Executive pauses to remember the bravery and sacrifice of everyone on both sides of the conflict.
Officially known as Operation Overlord, but better known as D-Day, the heroic efforts are remembered as the finest hour in the response in the face of aggression and tyranny. On June 6, 1944, Allied forces under General Dwight D. Eisenhower took advantage of a narrow weather window and stormed the beaches at Normandy, France.
To support the operation, the Allies had a force of 150,000 soldiers, 11,000 aircraft, and 7,000 vessels at their disposal, including 4,000 landing craft and 860 merchant ships. Despite its massive size, "Operation Overlord" was kept secret until the beginning of the assault, a success attributable to a careful campaign of deception.
The target 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast was divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword Beach. While the weather on D-Day was far from ideal, postponing would have meant a delay of at least two weeks, as the invasion planners had requirements for the phase of the moon, the tides, and the time of day that meant only a few days in each month would work.
Despite the weather, the landings were a success. By the end of the first day Allied troops were on shore and ready to push Nazi forces out of France - but at a heavy price. The men landed under heavy fire from gun emplacements overlooking the beaches, and the shore was mined and covered with obstacles such as wooden stakes, metal tripods, and barbed wire. 4,400 Allied personnel died in working their way up the beach, including 2,500 American soldiers. The landing at Omaha Beach accounted for nearly half of the casualties, as steep terrain and limited fire support made the going especially tough.
Within a day, naval forces began to engineer the installation of a temporary seaport at Omaha and Gold beaches. Dozens of merchant ships were stripped down, dispatched to the site, and sunk in place as block ships to create rudimentary breakwaters, making it easier to bring landing craft onto the beach. The armed crew of these grounded block ships were under aerial bombardment and artillery fire for weeks.
The immediate aftermath of the landings: an instant port for LSTs, arriving by the dozens (USN)
Within weeks, engineering teams turned the beachhead into a rudimentary port, complete with piers and floating roadways. It handled four million tonnes of cargo to fuel the fight over the next 10 months.
Today a few remnants of the day are still at the beaches and a series of museums along the coastline. However, the most poignant reminder of the sacrifices is the cemeteries overlooking the beaches with their simple white markers to honor the individuals who gave their lives to free the occupied nations and return peace to Europe.
Coastal shipping company Hurtigruten Norway released the first designs for the company’s proposed zero-emission cruise ship. After identifying and studying the most promising emerging technologies, Hurtigruten and its partners are proposing a cruise ship that would use batteries, retractable sails with solar panels, and AI technologies. The goal is to launch the first vessel in 2030.
“Following a rigorous feasibility study, we have pinpointed the most promising technologies for our groundbreaking future cruise ships. We are committed to delivering a ship that surpasses all others in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability within just a few years,” said Hedda Felin, CEO of Hurtigruten Norway.
Designs for the cruise ship are the result of the first phase of the “Sea Zero” project launched a year ago by Hurtigruten and 12 maritime partners and the research institute SINTEF in Norway. They report that they identified what they view as the most promising technologies for future ships while noting that some of the technologies still require extensive research before commercialization.
The goal of the project is a small, custom-built ship that can operate sustainably on the Norwegian coast. Hurtigruten operates vessels along the coast between Bergen and Kirkenes making up to 34 port calls. The company has maintained the coastal service for 130 years since its inception in 1893. They view this design as the first step toward transforming the company’s entire fleet into zero-emission vessels.
The design concept developed in the first year of research calls for a 443-foot long ship that would have 270 cabins accommodating 500 passengers and operated with just 99 crew. The ship would also have a cargo hold and space to transport cars. A streamlined shape will result in less air resistance and reduce energy use. In addition to ample outdoor space, enlarged surface areas and windows will increase passenger comfort.
“We are developing the concept for the world’s most innovative cruise design and researching to find the optimal design methods suitable for zero-emission ships. The streamlined shape, with its innovative hull and propulsion solutions, not only reduces energy demand but also increases passenger comfort,” said Henrik Burvang, Research and Innovation Manager at VARD, the design and shipbuilding company participating in the project.
The design concept is for ships powered by electric and equipped with batteries that charge in port. Combining 60-megawatt battery solutions with wind technology, Hurtigruten says the vessel is expected to feature numerous firsts and improved solutions that do not exist on cruise ships today, including retractable sails with solar panels, artificial intelligence maneuvering, contra-rotating propellers, and multiple retractable thrusters. Additional technologies include air lubrication, advanced hull coating, and proactive hull cleaning.
The three retractable, autonomous wing rigs will comprise 1500 square meters (16,146 square feet) of solar panels and a total wind surface of 750 square meters (8,073 square feet), reaching a maximum height of 164 feet when fully extended.
Sail/solar panels would be retractable (Vard Design)
They also look to AI technology to improve the operation of the vessel including navigation and as a result, the bridge area is expected to be significantly smaller. Hurtigruten Norway expects through its current operations on the coast and the use of AI to collect data that learns the most efficient docking and undocking methods for each port, improving in port operations in bad or challenging weather. AI they believe will contribute to enhanced maneuvering.
One of the key challenges that they have to overcome through new technology is the power used in hotel operations. Their goal is to reduce overall energy consumption by 50 percent versus the line’s current ships while noting that half of a ship’s power can be consumed in the hotel area. Passengers will be involved in the energy-saving through the use of an interactive mobile app to monitor and control water and energy consumption.
The Sea Zero project is now entering a two-year phase in which the proposed technologies will be developed further and tested. Hurtigruten highlights that the current research and development phase focuses on battery production, propulsion technology, hull design, and sustainable practices that reduce energy use to an absolute minimum.
GEOLOGY
New Age Metals given $300,000 grant from Manitoba development fund
By Marilyn Scales June 7, 2023 White spodumene in a matrix of quartz and albite from the Eagle pegmatite.
New Age Metals photo
New Age Metals (TSXV:NAM; OTC:NMTLF) has received a grant of $300,000 from the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund. The money will be released in three, $100,000 installments for work done in the Winnipeg Rover pegmatite field. The work is part of a farm-in joint venture with Mineral Resources of Australia.
The development funding from the government is in addition to the $2-million preliminary exploration budget for 2023-24.
The summer field program is planned to better define historical documented showings and anomalous grab samples collected between 2018 and 2022, as well as to potentially locate buried LCT (lithium-cesium-tantalum) pegmatites. The main objective is to define and prioritize drill targets and bring additional projects to a drill ready stage in an effort to outline an economically exploitable lithium deposit in close proximity to Tanco mine on the northwest shore of Bernic Lake.
New age will share all information related to the project activities with the development fund and Manitoba government. The company will also account for all direct and indirect expenditures for the full amount.
Work planned for this summer includes bedrock mapping, property wide lithogeochemistry on potential drill targets, soil geochemistry using the mobile metal ion (MMI) process, and biogeochemistry where MMI cannot be done.
New Age has four lithium properties – South Bay, Northman, Mclaughlin Lake, and the flagship Bird River – in Manitoba.
A pegmatite is an igneous rock showing a very coarse texture, with large interlocking crystals usually greater in size than 1 cm (0.4 in) and sometimes ...
What is Pegmatite? Pegmatites are extreme igneous rocks that form during the final stage of a magma's crystallization. They are extreme because they contain ...
GEOLOGY
Solid results for Laurion from ore sorting at Ishkoday polymetallic project
After a pair of tests completed at the Saskatchewan Research Council, (Laurion Mineral Exploration )
By Marilyn Scales June 6, 2023 Mineralized sample from the Ishkoday gold and base metals project.
Laurion Mineral Exploration photo
After a pair of tests completed at the Saskatchewan Research Council, Laurion Mineral Exploration (TSXV:LME; OTC:LMEFF) is pleased with the way material from the historical Sturgeon River mine surface stockpile responded to sensor-based ore sorting. The mine is part of the Ishkoday gold-base metals project 28 km northeast of Beardmore, Ont.
Laurion president and CEO Cynthia Le Sueur-Aquin said the mineralization from the stockpile responds well to both laser and colour sensor-based sorting. Ore sorting is being considered for its potential to reduce downstream processing volume and costs.
The first test campaign treated samples based on their gold content. They were subjected to X-ray transmission (XRT) which sorts by difference in particle density combined. Laser illumination was also tested, which was the more efficient method. Laser illumination sorting upgraded the sample by 75% (from 3.9 g/t to 10.4 g/t) with a sorting efficiency of 74.4%.
The second campaign treated a large sample of stockpiled material after it was crushed and split. Material below 10-mm was screened out, reducing the volume by 50%. One hundred +10-mm particles were then selected at random for laser and colorimetric sorting.
A semi-empirical model for laser sorting indicated that 69% of the mineralization could be rejected while losing only 0.6% of the gold to the reject pile. The material was upgraded by 220% (from 2.63 g/t to 8.42 g/t), a result that exceeded expectations.
Comparable results came from the colorimetric test. The volume was reduced by 60% with a loss of only 0.94% of the gold. The mineralized material was upgraded 145% (from 2.63 g/t to 6.44 g/t) in the accepts pile.
The Ishkoday property includes several past producers, including the Sturgeon River mine, which produced 73,322 oz. of gold and 15,929 oz. of silver when it was active from 1936 to 1942.
Read the informative corporate presentation on the Laurion website.
A bigger vision for better use of the Earth’s resources
The mining sector requires constant innovation if it is to optimize production, lower costs, and, most importantly, improve safety for workers. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies can make a big difference and help businesses adapt even in the face of unpredictable events.
Veracio is a stand-alone entity, infused with Boart Longyear’s rich legacy of innovation, and sits at the intersection of technology and orebody science
Recently, Boart Longyear (the world’s leading provider of drilling services, drilling equipment, and performance tooling for mining and drilling companies) announced that its Geological Data Services division will operate as a separate entity called Veracio. The new entity is set to combine science and digital technologies in a single, integrated platform and help mining companies get more value from their orebody data faster, while mitigating the environmental impact of their decisions.
JT Clark, CEO of Veracio. Mike Ravella, chief innovation officer of Veracio.
Veracio’s technologies and platform, the result of a decade of testing and development in sensing, automation, and AI technologies, empowers miners to dig deeper into data, accelerating exploration and making better decisions that result in economically efficient operations and reduced waste. Powered by Boart Longyear’s award-winning Geological Data Services integrated technology platform, Veracio will support the growing global need for critical minerals by championing an approach to orebody science based on speed and sustainability.
Veracio’s (originally Boart Longyear’s) innovative in-field drill sample scanning system, TruScan, has been named “mining innovation of the year” at the prestigious Mines and Money conference in London, held in December 2022. This recognition highlights Veracio’s commitment to providing cutting-edge technologies that drive productivity and efficiency in the mining industry.
A few weeks ago, I caught up with Veracio’s newly appointed CEO, JT Clark (JTC) and chief innovation officer, Mike Ravella (MR), to discuss Veracio’s recent “graduation from Boart Longyear,” as Clark likes to call it.
VERACIO, A WHOLLY OWNED BOART LONGYEAR SUBSIDIARY, OFFERS MINING CLIENTS A RANGE OF SOLUTIONS THAT IMPROVE, AUTOMATE, AND DIGITALLY TRANSFORM THEIR OREBODY SCIENCES. CHAMPIONING A MODERN APPROACH THROUGH A DIVERSE PRODUCT PORTFOLIO BY FUSING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TOGETHER WITH DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY, VERACIO LEVERAGES AI AND ADVANCED ANALYTICS TO ACCELERATE REAL-TIME DECISION-MAKING DRIVING EFFICIENCY IN MINERAL EXPLORATION AND MINING WHICH IS MOVING MINERAL RESOURCES FORWARD.
CMJ: To start the conversation, my first question to both of you is how did you end up in your positions as CEO and CIO of the new company?
JTC: For most of my career, I worked at BCG, a prominent consulting firm and in my most recent position, I served as the global leader of BCG’s mining practice. Six years ago, I shifted my focus to applying AI and advanced technologies to optimize mining operations, creating BCG Phosa, a real-time optimization tool for mineral processing covering the entire value chain. Although it has delivered significant improvements in production, we discovered that the accuracy and granularity of orebody knowledge were limiting factors. AI requires detailed and high-quality information to identify smaller differences and make finer adjustments and mining companies were not capturing sufficient detail about the orebody to support AI.
In my consulting work with Boart Longyear, I learned about the range of technologies under the Geological Data Services division and their ability to provide accurate and detailed orebody knowledge. I was amazed by their solution which had previously hindered my AI deployment work. With their technology, I also saw the potential to improve the production and recovery of critical minerals throughout the life of the mine. This is how I ended up at Veracio, this was a natural move for me, and I believe the products and services we offer are critical in driving accurate and detailed orebody knowledge for mining optimization.
MR: I am a hydrogeologist by trade, and in my background in contaminant hydrogeology, we used real time digital sensing for dynamic environmental site investigations to provide information about contaminant source areas and plumes. I worked in environmental and then mining related drilling for Boart Longyear. When I entered the mining field, I found orebody knowledge definition archaic in the mining space. After running several drilling businesses for Boart Longyear in the U.S. and then Australia, I started Geological Data Services from an idea for Boart Longyear in 2015 when we started to look at digital sensing and AI and applying it to mineral exploration and mining, and that is how Veracio started.
“I CONSIDER VERACIO A GRADUATION FROM BOART LONGYEAR. THE AI/ML-BASED TECHNOLOGIES UNDER THE GEOLOGICAL DATA SERVICES DIVISION HAVE MATURED AND DESERVE RECOGNITION AND ATTENTION OF THEIR OWN.” JT CLARK, CEO OF VERACIO
CMJ: So, what do you like most about your job?
MR: Working with a group of people and clients who truly believe and are 100% focused on changing mineral exploration and mining through digital sensing and AI and knowing that the work we are doing is providing critical mineral solutions for humanity.
TruScan in the field. Credit: Veracio
CMJ: Can you please talk to us briefly about Boart Longyear’s decision to operate its Geological Data Services division as a stand-alone entity called Veracio, what was the reason for the decision?
JTC: Boart Longyear is an ideal birthplace for the development of innovative technologies and capabilities for the mining industry. Developing such technologies requires a conducive environment, and Boart Longyear’s 127 years of experience in the most challenging operating conditions provide just that. I consider Veracio a graduation from Boart Longyear. The AI/ML-based technologies under the Geological Data Services division have matured and deserve recognition and attention of their own. Furthermore, technology development is a distinct business from drilling services, and it is essential to establish new processes for funding and operation to support Veracio’s technology objectives while working closely with the engineering and operating expertise at Boart Longyear. We are providing these technologies with an appropriate platform to grow and serve the industry.
MR: Boart Longyear is focused on providing safe productive drilling to the mining industry. At the end of the day, the product of Boart Longyear’s services and products is quality drill samples. Mining companies require these drill samples to understand the earth. A natural progression for Boart Longyear is Veracio, where we are focused on unifying orebody knowledge and giving mining companies information about the earth at high density in real time.
CMJ: Most people tend to not associate the mining industry with such things as advanced systems technology; however, in your opinion, how can artificial intelligence transform the mining industry?
JTC: This is a common misconception, as the mining industry has been investing in building advanced analytics and AI capabilities for some time now. However, compared to tech companies, the mining industry falls behind in terms of AI development. The reason is that mining poses unique and complex challenges that simplistic solutions of the first generation of AI were not capable of solving. AI had to continue to evolve and mature to effectively support the mining industry.
AI has already started to transform the mining industry and will continue to play a central role in its future. Primarily, this is because the world demands more critical minerals that the mining industry must supply, while at the same time mining companies must operate with a smaller carbon and environmental footprint. With declining head grades and increasing geological difficulty, new discoveries are geographically remote, more challenging to access, and often in challenging geopolitical environments. The traditional mining and exploration toolkits are ill-equipped to satisfy these demands. The mining industry significantly benefits from AI, as it equips them with the necessary tools to improve performance, automate processes in challenging environments without risking human lives, and achieve a higher level of accuracy and precision.
TruScan scanning core. Credit: Veracio
For example, mines that have been operating for decades have historically sent ore to waste that would now be considered economic ore. However, upcoming mining projects involve mines that might only have a 10- to 20-year mine life, are deep underground, and are hard to access. To overcome these challenges, the mining industry needs a more advanced toolkit that allows for more accurate, precise, and deliberate resource recovery. There is no margin for error, as valuable resources cannot be wasted and left in a pile for future generations to recover. They must be extracted today.
MR: I agree, and I see it growing more and more each year. It is clear that the future of mining will be very different from the past. Feedback and actions from early adopters and mining companies clearly define this.
CMJ: Can you please explain the role of AI and ML in improving mine safety?
JTC: Improving the understanding of the orebody and automating tasks using AI are two primary ways to operate more safely in the mining industry. By better understanding the structural geology of the orebody using AI, we can reduce the risk of bench failure and improve the quality of mine planning.
Additionally, by automating tasks that previously required human intervention using AI and other technologies, we can remove the person from dangerous environments and eliminate risk. For example, automating rod handling on drilling rigs which is one of the most injury-prone activities. By using AI to capture in situ geological information, we can reduce the number of times we have to handle rods, ultimately taking humans out of harmful activity.
Our goal is to reinvent workflows and activities that have been in use for decades and create safer and less vulnerable options.
MR: Digital sensing allows the mining clients to be bionic. They can work remotely and reduce exposure. The future mine site geologist will be far more accurate, consistent, and efficient. They will also be able to be on site less through digital sensing, software, AI, and ML.
CMJ: How can ML and AI maintain the operation and performance of mining machines using predictive maintenance?
MR: At Veracio, we utilize ML and AI to drive orebody discovery, definition extraction, and processing. Knowing what is in the ground and the parameters required to extract and process early and at high definition allows the mining company to make rapid decisions creating enormous value.
TruScan station. Credit: Veracio
CMJ: Finally, how can Veracio help its mining customers meet the unprecedented minerals demand that is fuelling the transition to a more sustainable economy?
JTC: Veracio’s primary mission is to enable (i) a bigger vision, facilitating the transition to electrification and a more environmentally friendly world; (ii) smarter data, providing the right information at the right time for informed decision-making; and (iii) a smaller environmental footprint, achieved by improving mine design accuracy, reducing the impact on the environment, improving biodiversity, and lowering carbon footprint.
As the demand for critical resources in the world increases, it is becoming harder to discover new deposits. To make new discoveries economically viable, increased precision is required, and the margin of error must be reduced. At Veracio, we do not just provide data but also analytical tools to support the next generation of accuracy, making decision-making more efficient and accurate, and enabling more efficient execution of mining agendas.
June 6, 2023 The cost of 100-ton trucks has hardly increased while their operating expenses have rocketed.
Credit: Navoi
Labour costs are replacing oil products as a mine’s most expensive item as inflation impacts operating expenses more than capital costs, new reports show.
Wages for some copper and gold mine employees in the southwest United States increased by around 10% in the last year and a half, helping raise hourly pay by 4% at unionized and non-union surface and underground metal and industrial mineral mines across the U.S., according to Costmine Intelligence, a unit of The Northern Miner Group.
The trend is part of 30% higher labour costs since the 2015 commodity bear market, Costmine vice-president Mike Sinden said in a recent interview. Barring another oil price shock, U.S. workforce costs are expected to be the fastest increasing element in a mine’s expenses, Sinden said. For open pit mines, he says labour could exceed half of their costs.
“As non-unionized labour gains bargaining power and union contracts roll off, we expect to see double-digit labour costs,” Sinden said. “That could really add fuel to the fire if energy prices stay strong.”
Labour costs are rising in Canada and the U.S. at a similar pace when accounting for foreign exchange. Until 2021, wage cost increases largely matched inflation at around 2% to 4%, but last year saw some pay increases of 5% to 12%, Costmine data show. Salaried staff saw similar increases.
