VR-based digital twin for remote monitoring of mining equipment:Architecture and a case study

Background Traditional methods for monitoring mining equipment rely primarily on visual inspections,which are time-consuming,inefficient,and hazardous.This article introduces a novel approach to monitoring mission-critical systems and services in the mining industry by integrating virtual reality(VR)and digital twin(DT)technologies.VR-based DTs enable remote equipment monitoring,advanced analysis of machine health,enhanced visualization,and improved decision making.Methods This article presents an architecture for VR-based DT development,including the developmental stages,activities,and stakeholders involved.A case study on the condition monitoring of a conveyor belt using real-time synthetic vibration sensor data was conducted using the proposed methodology.The study demonstrated the application of the methodology in remote monitoring and identified the need for further development for implementation in active mining operations.The article also discusses interdisciplinarity,choice of tools,computational resources,time and cost,human involvement,user acceptance,frequency of inspection,multiuser environment,potential risks,and applications beyond the mining industry.Results The findings of this study provide a foundation for future research in the domain of VR-based DTs for remote equipment monitoring and a novel application area for VR in mining.

Development of Mining Technology and Equipment for Seafloor Massive Sulfide Deposits

Seafloor massive sulfide（SMS） deposits which consist of Au, Ag, Cu, and other metal elements, have been a target of commercial mining in recent decades. The demand for established and reliable commercial mining system for SMS deposits is increasing within the marine mining industry. The current status and progress of mining technology and equipment for SMS deposits are introduced. First, the mining technology and other recent developments of SMS deposits are comprehensively explained and analyzed. The seafloor production tools manufactured by Nautilus Minerals and similar mining tools from Japan for SMS deposits are compared and discussed in turn. Second, SMS deposit mining technology research being conducted in China is described, and a new SMS deposits mining tool is designed according to the environmental requirement. Finally, some new trends of mining technology of SMS deposits are summarized and analyzed. All of these conclusions and results have reference value and guiding significance for the research of SMS deposit mining in China.

Statistical approach to determination of overhaul and maintenance cost of loading equipment in surface mining

The purpose of this research was to develop a new approach in determination of overhaul and maintenance cost of loading equipment in surface mining. Two statistical models including univariate exponential regression (UER) and multivariate linear regression (MLR) were used in this study. Loading equipment parameters such as bucket capacity, machine weight, engine power, boom length, digging depth, and dumping height were considered as variables. The results obtained by models and mean absolute error rate indicate that these models can be applied as the useful tool in determination of overhaul and maintenance cost of loading equipment. The results of this study can be used by the decision-makers for the specific surface mining operations.

A Life Evaluation System and its Application to Mining Machinery Equipment

Based on analyzing the mining equipment life evaluation theoretical system, the equipment life evaluation target system of the mining machinery is put forward taking the economic life, security life, reliability life and technical life as the targets. Then, the structure and model of the mining equipment life evaluation system are established and prepared for the realization of the system theoretically. Taking hydraulic support as the research object, the life evaluation system of hydraulic support is established and practice shows that the life evaluation system is feasible.

Long-term economic sensitivity analysis of light duty underground mining vehicles by power source

LHD's are expensive vehicles; therefore, it is important to accurately define the financial consequences associated with the investment of purchasing the mining equipment. This study concentrates on longterm incremental and sensitivity analysis to determine whether it is feasible to incorporate current battery technology into these machines. When revenue was taken into account, decreasing the amount of haulage in battery operated equipment by 5% or 200 kg per h amounts to a $4.0 × 10~4 loss of profit per year. On average it was found that using battery operated equipment generated $9.5 × 10~4 more in income annually, reducing the payback period from seven to two years to pay back the additional $1.0 × 10~5 investment of buying battery powered equipment over cheaper diesel equipment. Due to the estimated 5% increase in capital, it was observed that electric vehicles must possess a lifetime that is a minimum of one year longer than that of diesel equipment.