Gigabit December 2018

SWEDISH MINING AUTOMATION GROUP (SMAG)
238
CLICK TO WATCH: ‘SIMS MINING — THE HORIZON 2020 PROJECT’
Canadian mining industry too, which is
hoping to become more sustainable
and innovative.”
There’s a lot Canada can learn from
Sweden, observes Silvander, citing
Swedish mining operators Boliden and
LKAB as “amongst some of the most
progressive in the world”. Both of these
companies have been early adopters
of digital and automation technology
but interestingly, Silvander points out
that this isn’t about technology for
technology’s sake it’s, first and foremost
about safety, productivity and efficiency.
“For example, Boliden said that they
don’t have a strategy for digitising or
automating their mines, but rather they
have a strategy to improve safety and
increase productivity,” Silvander explains.
“For them, the best way to do that was
to use digital technology.” Looking at
connectivity, precision technology,
stabilising processes and eliminating
waste as well as implementing new
mining methods, these mines have
proven to be gleaming examples of the
benefits of mining automation and this
technological prowess hasn’t gone
unnoticed worldwide.
“Recently, there’s been a lot of
DECEMBER 2018