Mine, plant and maintenance control system for small and medium size mining companies

• Grant number: 22/00843-7
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: July 01, 2022
• End date: January 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mining Engineering - Mining
• Principal Investigator: Jaime Ijichi Machado
• Grantee: Jaime Ijichi Machado
• Company: Dynamine Consultoria em Engenharia Ltda
• CNAE: Desenvolvimento e licenciamento de programas de computador customizáveis ; Serviços de engenharia
• City: São Paulo
• Associated researchers: Dennis Travagini Cremonese
• Associated research grant: 20/13593-3 - Mine, plant and maintenance control system for small and medium size mining, AP.PIPE
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/14289-1 - Mine, Plant and Maintenance Control System for Small and Medium Size Mining, BP.TT; 22/11666-9 - Mine, Plant and Maintenance Control System for Small and Medium Size Mining, BP.TT; 22/11665-2 - Mine, plant and maintenance control system for small and medium size mining, BP.PIPE

Abstract

While large mining companies have the financial and human capital to invest in cutting-edge technologies to monitor their production process, small and medium-sized companies, which represent the vast majority of companies in this sector (95% in Brazil) are left helpless. Although these smaller companies have the need to acquire new technologies, they have difficulties in financial and human investment in this type of solutions. This project aims to develop an accessible system for small and medium-sized mining companies, capable of providing real-time information on mining equipment (trucks, excavators, etc.), plant equipment (crushers, belt conveyors, etc.) and maintenance (consumables per km etc.). Process 2020/13593-3 granted the support of the PIPE program for Phase 1 of this project, effective from June 1, 2021 to February 28, 2022. This document presents the Research Project for Phase 2, where it intends to mature the development through the demonstration of critical functions of the prototype in relevant environment (TRL 6) and later demonstration of prototype of the system in operational environment (TRL 7). To this end, an investment of R$ 697,818.43 is being planned over a period of 19 months. The investment includes the selection of 3 scholarships for the composition of the team, acquisition of permanent material, consumables and transport and daily expenses. As a result, it is expected the development of an operational prototype that can give rise to a service (SaaS) to be offered to small and medium-sized mining companies for an approximate monthly amount of R$ 2,000.00, including sensors, cloud processing, online dashboard and all necessary infrastructure. With this system, smaller mining companies, responsible for most of the civil construction materials, such as sand and gravel, will be able to make decisions based on data and information, reducing costs and increasing productivity. The system will improve mining performance, which will consequently provide products at a lower cost to society. In addition, with the lower consumption of fuel and electricity, for each ton of ore produced and processed, less greenhouse gases should be emitted. (AU)