What is a smart mine? What is the future trend?

Smart mine refers to the deep integration of the Internet of Things, cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, automatic control, industrial Internet, robotized equipment, etc. with modern mining development technologies based on the intelligent concept of modern coal mines to form a complete intelligent system with comprehensive mine perception, real-time interconnection, analysis and decision-making, self-learning, dynamic prediction, and collaborative control. Realize the intelligent operation of the whole process of mine development, mining, transportation, sorting, safety guarantee, ecological protection, production management, etc.

Generally speaking, smart mines and traditional coal mines are like smart phones and ordinary mobile phones, smart cars (driverless) and traditional cars. Taking unmanned driving as an example, informatization can be realized through "map + planning + prediction" combined with "big data platform + artificial intelligence", and intelligent driving can be realized through "control + positioning" combined with "machine learning + simulation training". Smart coal mine is also the development and application of various new technologies on the basis of existing coal mines, and the continuous development and improvement of new concepts to achieve intelligent coal mines.

How to develop ordinary coal mines into smart coal mines, one is the need for intelligent system base stations, remote control platforms and other infrastructure; Second, the need for intelligent transformation or purchase of equipment such as coal machines; The third is the need for interactive information platform, data analysis system platform and other software and hardware construction; Fourth, it is necessary to connect and integrate each sub-control system and control technology, such as fully mechanized mining subsystem, integrated mining subsystem, safety subsystem, and lifting subsystem to form an intelligent complete set of control system for the entire mine.

Main features of smart mine:

The remarkable symbol of smart mines is "no one", that is, no one works on the mining surface, no one works on the excavation surface, no one works on the dangerous places, and no one works on large equipment until the entire mine is no one works. All aspects of the entire mine are operated under intelligent robots and intelligent equipment.

Western developed countries from the 1990s began to study intelligent mining technology, especially Canada, the United States and other countries, in order to obtain a competitive advantage in the mining industry, has developed the "intelligent mine" and "unmanned mine" development plans.

The Canadian International Nickel company began to study automatic mining technology in the early 1990s, and plans to realize unmanned mining in a mine in 2050, and realize mechanical automatic mining through satellite control of all equipment in the mine. In 1999, the United States carried out research on automatic positioning and navigation technology of underground coal mine, and obtained commercial research results. In 2008, Rio Tinto Group launched the "future mine" plan, deploying driverless trucks, driverless trains, automatic drilling RIGS, automatic excavators and bulldozers around the computer control center. At the end of 2018, Rio Tinto approved an investment of $2.6 billion to build the first pure "smart mine" project in Western Australia. In 2018, Anglo American launched the "Smart Mine of the Future" program.

Overseas large mining companies have already laid out smart mines: Lijin Group decided to invest 2.6 billion US dollars at the end of 2018 to build the Koodaideri Iron ore project into the world's first pure smart mine; In 2018, the United Kingdom and the United States launched the "Future smart mine" program, using robots, virtual technology, and intelligent sensing to replace manual labor.

The Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Intelligent Development of Coal Mines propose that by 2035, all kinds of coal mines will basically achieve intelligence, build a multi-industry chain and multi-system integrated coal mine intelligence system, and build an intelligent coal mine intelligence system with intelligent perception, intelligent decision-making and automatic execution. At present, intelligent coal mining is still in the demonstration stage, suitable for better working conditions, with the improvement of the technical level, the next 10-20 years or will be widely used.

According to the intelligent transformation practice of Pingmei Group, the investment of a single coal mine is about 200 million yuan, and the proportion of the entire investment is divided into three parts: infrastructure accounted for 10%, integrated platform accounted for 10%, scraper, transportation and other equipment investment accounted for 80%. At present, the number of coal mines in the country is more than 5,000, and the overall investment scale will reach one trillion yuan, of which the smart equipment market is about 800 billion, and the intelligence-related infrastructure and integrated platform market is about 200 billion.