The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
Metal Tech News – January 17, 2024
A battery-electric Epiroc loader being charged at a Codelco copper mine in Chile.
The world's top copper producer, Codelco, has turned to Epiroc to provide digital solutions that will improve productivity, sustainability, and safety at its mines in Chile.
State-owned Codelco has long worked closely with Epiroc to provide equipment and digital solutions at its copper mines. Last August, this longtime business relationship was elevated to an alliance aimed at implementing future-leaning technologies that reduce the environmental impact, increase automation, and mitigate risks associated with digging deeper into its underground mines.
"We approached Epiroc to explain the challenges we were facing in our mines and invite them to brainstorm together. Epiroc has a very interesting portfolio of products in automation, electrification, and digitalization, etc.," Gonzalo Ramírez Troxler, corporate innovation director for decarbonization of processes at Codelco, said in an August interview with Epiroc. "We have been partners a long time in the sense that we buy and use your products, but now we wanted to think about the future together."
As an initial step in this mining technology alliance, Codelco has ordered a large package of advanced digital solutions that will strengthen safety and productivity at El Teniente, the world's largest underground copper mine.
Valued at 250 million Swedish krona (US$24 million) over five years, this is the largest order Epiroc has ever received for digital solutions.
"Digital solutions are increasingly important to ensure mining companies can reach their full potential when it comes to safety and productivity," said Epiroc President and CEO Helena Hedblom. "Codelco has long been on the technological forefront, and we are happy to continue to support them as they further enhance their digitalization to ensure operator safety and maximum operational efficiency."
Codelco is beginning its digital upgrades to El Teniente, as well as its open-pit operations, with an initial phase of Epiroc solutions valued at 50 million Swedish krona (US$4.8 million).
Epiroc is bundling together a wide variety of its digital solutions that will enhance and expand upon Codelco's existing systems.
Overall, this initial package is focused on optimizing fleet management and ore production, providing visibility of people and machines in the underground mine, collecting machine performance data, and helping to avoid vehicle collisions.
This will likely involve the integration of some form of Epiroc's Mobilaris mining intelligence and situational awareness platforms, which offer a range of digital solutions to improve mine safety and productivity, as well as real-time location tracking and monitoring of people and equipment.
"We are proud to expand our partnership with Codelco as they advance their digital journey, with an offering that provides an agnostic ecosystem across connectivity, automation, safety, and productivity applications," says Paul Bergström, president of Epiroc's Digital Solutions division.
This digital solutions agreement may lay the groundwork for further installations of Epiroc equipment and solutions as Codelco seeks to further electrify and automate its mining fleet.
"A specific challenge for Codelco is that we want to mine the deeper areas of our mines, which is very challenging because of the geological constraints," Ramirez said in August. "So, we want to go a bit beyond that and think together with Epiroc about what the Codelco of the future will look like. How can we align Epiroc's R&D roadmap with our R&D needs?"
Aligning Codelco and Epiroc's digital solutions is a good place to start.
With more than 16 years of covering mining, Shane is renowned for his insights and and in-depth analysis of mining, mineral exploration and technology metals.
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