The future of mining and the MD6200 drill

The mining industry is going through some fundamental shifts as the world around this $13.5 billion powerhouse and manufacturing driver is forced to adapt.

Some of the biggest changes we’re seeing are at a macro-level - the shift to environmentalism, for example, as was highlighted in this year’s Mining Indaba - and others are at a micro-level, looking in a more nuanced way at who is executing work at the mines, for example.

All of these shifts together have influenced Cat®'s production of the MD6200 drill, a product which helps mitigate some of the pain points around the changes mining is going through.

THE STATE OF MINING TODAY

With the current economic climate, mining conditions are changing, and there is a shift away from using OEMs to rather using contractors and B-BBEE affiliated junior mining operators.

In addition to this, PWC reports in their 2022 Global Mining Report that “Other miners are partnering with OEMs and end users, evolving the traditional business-to-business mining model into a business-to-consumer one. For miners, this change represents an opportunity to establish a reliable point of sale, and for consumers it means the chance to secure a steady supply of materials.”

A smaller, more versatile drill like the MD6200 allows smaller mining operators to own and work this bread-and-butter machine with a lower operating cost.

THE FUTURE OF MINING

There are two massive shifts we're seeing influence mining equipment - much like the automotive industry, we are expecting technology and automation to play an increasingly large role in the future of this industry.

In fact, Caterpillar reported in 2021 that “an additional 1 billion tonnes of material [were] hauled by autonomous trucks using Cat® MineStar™ Command for hauling, surpassing the 3 billion tonnes milestone.”

Technology in this context means the ability to overview your entire mining operation from a screen: the health of your machines, the tonnage they're shifting, what material is being drilled through (which then allows you to co-ordinate with the blasters), and many more facets of running a mine. In the end, mining is a holistic system and having a complete and detailed overview allows you to treat it with the nuance it deserves, and ensure each leg is supporting the other.

Automation is the next big shift, and it's already in action in Australia, Canada, and America. Mining Technology explains, “autonomous vehicles, drill rigs and processing can boost efficiency and productivity, improve safety, and reduce overall costs.” Currently mining equipment is driven by skilled operators who can "feel" the machine and its reaction to the ground and rocks below it, and adjust accordingly. With automated and semi-automated machines, a completely new skill set is required and moving from a manually run mine to one that is fully automated will take time and reskilling of employees.

MD6200 DRILL

Considering the future of mining, the MD6200 drill has been designed and built for what we’re seeing happen in mining today. It was designed with contract mining in mind, which is costed per metre. In addition to this, the machine comes with the fundamentals of technology: it has automated features and if the customer wants to move from manual to automatic, it is an easy upgrade to execute with a few software updates and additional sensors.

One huge advantage of the MD6200 is that it adds a pre-split capability, which adds much versatility to drilling for the contractor.

Some more advantages of the drill:

• Transportability
• Cabin operator is comfortable
• It is designed to be cost effective and fuel efficient
• CAT technology - it is linked to the newest CAT technology

Overall, the future of mining won’t look tomorrow like it does today. If mining operators look at their processes, their infrastructure, wi-fi, and network coverage, they should be able to adapt to a new world.