The document discusses Boliden's mine automation program. It aims to improve productivity and utilization in mines through automation. Boliden mines copper, zinc and other metals. Productivity is challenged by issues like blast ventilation times, machine breakdowns and shift changes. The mine automation program seeks to optimize operations through technologies like remote operation, 3D mapping, Internet of Things sensors and big data analysis. This could allow some mines to operate 24/7 and improve utilization of equipment like loaders and trucks. Several automation projects are already underway with partners like Volvo, Sandvik, Ericsson and ABB. The goal is for automation to improve safety and productivity while reducing costs and environmental impact from mines.

3. The mines are getting
deeper and deeper …

5. 5
Program Manager
Boliden Mine Automation
Peter Burman

6. 1. Why Volvo autonomous Trucks are like Kinder Eggs
2. Charging Robots
Boliden Mine Automation Program 6
WhatIwilltalkabout
All characters appearing in this work are fictious. Any resemblance to real
US presidents, living or dead, is pure coincidental

7. Boliden
– produces metals for modern life
• Boliden is a leading metals company with a
commitment to sustainable development
• The company’s core competence is within the fields
of exploration, mining, smelting and metals recycling
• Six mining areas and five smelters
• Balanced metal mix
– Zinc and copper
– Precious metals, lead, nickel as by-metals
• Revenues 40 BSEK
• Approx. 5,000 employees

8. Boliden’svalue chain
–Fromdeposittocustomer

9. Aitik
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Tonnespermanhour Million tonnes milled per year
World-classproductivity
Source: Wood Mackenzie, 2016. Graph to the right includes open pit and mines with mix open pit-underground.
Garpenberg
Tara
0
1
2
3
4
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Tonnespermanhour
Million tonnes milled per year

10. Why
innovate?
Key drivers for innovation in Sweden
 High labor costs
 Strict environmental regulations
 Low tolerance for work related injuries

11. Mine Automation
- The short story
The Mine Automation Program is a prioritized cross functional research program hosted by the Technology
Department.
The main goals are to improve
• Productivity and Utilization
• Mine safety

12. What’s the
problem?
The face utilization (the bottleneck) today in a Boliden underground mine is
typical 25%.
In open pit is utilization up to 80%, but the economical impact of small
improvements are large.
Reason
Blast ventilation, machine breakdowns, shift changes, lunch breaks and
travel time within mine reduce face utilization.
The complex sequencing of mine operation combined with a variable
environment challenges optimization of production.
Solution
Mine Automation makes it possible to run the underground mine 24/7 and
enhance the face utilization. Open pit mines and underground can optimize
machine utilization.

14. ”How to make automation
happen?”

15. Improved
Productivity
Productivity can be improved on many levels and the
first 3 we are familiar with
• Improved ways of working
• Better performance on unit level
• Optimization on system level
Now we can add a fourth level
• The combination of IoT and Big Data
1
2
3
4

16. Improved ways of working
- Mine Operation Centre
MOC is a good example on how more
data can be used to improve
productivity by transparency.
Transparency -> better decisions
1

17. Better Performance on unit level
- Volvo claims:
50% cost reduction on transports
2
Transport cost today:
1/3 Labour cost
1/3 Fuel
1/3 Capex etc
50% cost reduction is quite a lot given the fact that the
labour cost for the driver is 33% Volvos calculation is
based on lower fuel consumption, higher payload with
no cabin and less maintenace needed.

18. A remotely controlled wheel loader.Volvo CE

19. Optimization on System level
Imagine a remotely controlled wheel loader, loading an autonomous truck when the mine is empty due to blasting.
A good example on how to improve the utilization on both the machines as well as on the production faces.
3

20. 3D mapping
The Volvo Truck as a sensor platform.
Boliden Mine Automation Program 20
4

21. 4
IoT and Big Data

22. 3D mapping
Yes it is a lot of data...
But you will gain a new level of control
Boliden Mine Automation Program 22
4

23. Why
Automation?
- Why not?
Boliden have an extensive experience of
automation and process control. During 1998 to
2007 the production in the concentrator in
Garpenberg increased a lot without large
investments. Why would Mine Automation differ
from Automation in concentrators and smelters?

24. Case Study
- VoD in Kankberg Mine
The Ventilation on Demand function was
deployed in April 2016. VoD is a function
developed by Boliden in partnership with ABB
and mobilaris ab.
The electricity consumption for the fans was
reduced by 54%
The consumption of propane for ventilation
was reduced by 21%
Reduction of fossil CO2:
254 Tons/year
Equivalent of roughly 50 average cars per
year
Savings: 1,1 MSEK/year

25. The mine
as a Factory
running 24/7
The question is:
What to automate?

26. 4a. Inspection/Clean
up
4b. Loading
3. Blasting
7. Bolting 1. Drilling
2. Charging
5a. Scaling
5b. Clean up
6. Shotcrete
Activities in a
cut and fill mine

27. Technology readiness for the machines
- our subjective view
<=4 5 6 7 8 9
1. Tunnel Drill Rig
2. Stope Drill
3. Open Pit Drill
4. Charging
5. Loader not mixed traffic
6. Scaler
7. Shotcrete
8. Bolter
9. Haul not mixed traffic
Many machines still need a lot of work
until they can work fully autonomously

28. Our Partners
Our partners are the key to success. When you look at our roadmap, never forget that it is
our partners that are doing the bigger part of the investment.

29. 1. > 2000 Access Points underground (4 mines in Sweden)
2. IP telephony
3. Messaging services
4. 3D Wi-Fi positioning
5. VOD (ABB) in 2 mines
6. 2 mines with Sandvik Automine Lite
7. Volvo testing Autonomous Trucks
8. Volvo testing remotely controlled wheel loader
9. Ericsson Testing 5G
10. A lot of projects with Atlas Copco autodrill etc
11. A lot of projects with ABB
12. Gamification project
13. Remote Scaling
14. And more …
Mineautomationtoday

30. Volvo Trucks on public roads

31. Some words from our great leader

32. Battery powered Tunnel Drill Rig

33. The Carbon-free Mine

34. Electrification and Automation

35. Robots are patient!
charging

36. In the end of the day …

37. 37
Never forget

38. • The value will be created on 3 levels
• Electrification and Automation goes hand in hand
38
Summary
Boliden Mine Automation Program

41. 41
Boliden Mine Automation
Program
For more information please
contact
peter.j.burman@boliden.com
Thank you!