Caterpillar and Newmont to collaborate on underground vehicle automation
06 September 2018/
Caterpillar: Caterpillar and
Newmont Mining,
with the support of Cahman Equipment Co., the Cat dealer in Nevada,
have entered a collaboration agreement to validate and improve
underground hard rock
mining vehicle
automation
technology. The initial focus of the collaborative effort is Command
for underground, the Cat® system for semi-autonomous and remote
operation of underground loaders. Command for underground is a
technology within Cat MineStar™.
Newmont is the largest user of Cat underground vehicle automation
technology in the western hemisphere. The company currently operates
underground loaders using Command for loading in its Carlin gold mines
located in northern Nevada. The collaboration agreement leverages and
builds on this experience to take underground vehicle automation to the
next level of performance.
“Automating underground loaders enables machine operators to work safely
and efficiently from a control room on the surface,” said Graden Colby,
underground operations manager, Leeville mine. “In addition to enhancing
safety, the semi-autonomous system increases loader utilization,
improves productivity and allows one operator to control two or more
machines.”
The collaboration agreement seeks to improve existing technology and
accelerate validation and deployment of new features. Newmont,
Caterpillar and Cashman share objectives and align to ensure Command
technology delivers the desired benefits now and meets expectations for
the future. The agreement also provides for sharing information to help
guide strategic and tactical decision-making related to automation.
“Our business is built on cultivating long-term relationships to
generate value for our customers,” said Randy Schoepke, underground
commercial manager for Caterpillar’s
mining technology group. “Our agreement with Newmont allows two
industry leaders to tackle challenges and push each other to achieve
step changes in performance by making best use of real-world
experience.”
“Through our shared vision with Caterpillar and Cashman—along with
senior management commitment—we are tackling a new frontier in mining to
improve safety, productivity and costs,” said David Thornton, general
manager of Newmont’s Carlin underground operations. “The agreement
provides the platform for new or improved capabilities to be jointly and
quickly scoped, piloted, proven and adopted into operations.”
The agreement also creates a basis for rapid replication across
Newmont’s business. “Through Caterpillar’s global business model and
dealer network, our Command for underground operating model can be
deployed relatively easily at other Newmont mines and generate
additional value from the use of common and consistent operating
technology,” said Mike Wundenberg, Newmont’s vice president of
operational technology and innovation.s
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Source: Caterpillar - www.cat.com
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