The mining industry requires innovative and automated solutions to mitigate the impact of various challenges, which industrial product supplier Bolt and Engineering Distributors (B.E.D.) provides through customised technology solutions.

Mining companies adjust to lower commodities demand and prices by delaying expenditure, reducing operating costs and lowering output, says B.E.D. Rustenburg operations manager Antonie van Zijl, referencing the ‘Mining redesigned – innovation and technology needs for the future – a South African perspective’ paper.

“For mines to achieve innovation or automation on their existing systems, equipment or machinery requires the application of customised technology solutions.”

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is characterised by automation and connectivity, and offers new capabilities through artificial intelligence and cyber-physical systems. B.E.D. sees this as an opportunity to bring technology and innovation to the mining sector, he adds.

Product Sourcing
B.E.D. prioritises the sourcing of the most appropriate mining products to suit the requirements of South African customers through partnerships with suppliers and service providers to offer customers the best in terms of innovation and technology.

For example, the company has been a preferred distributor of welding technology company Fronius since 2012.

B.E.D. is offering the tungsten inert gas (TIG) DynamicWire feed system, launched last month by Fronius, to its clients. The feed system is a highly relevant innovation for the mining sector, offering self-regulating, time-saving and resource-conserving features, says Van Zijl.

The patented TIG DynamicWire welding package assists welders of any skill level in achieving “perfect TIG welds with ease”.

Owing to its optimising welding parameters, ease of use and delivery of consistent high-quality welds, the DynamicWire is well suited to a range of welding applications in the mining industry.

The feed system has a synergic function, which enables welders to select a predefined characteristic, optimised for different filler metals and applications.

Further, TIG cold-wire components are also now available for the Fronius iWave arc control device.

Mobile Fuel
Recently B.E.D. Klerksdorp assisted a well-known gold mine with a mobile fuel bowser to easily transport diesel to machinery on the mine.

Along with its manufacturing service provider, B.E.D. Klerksdorp designed a mini-diesel tanker fitted onto a trailer for easy transportation to machinery that requires diesel but is located far from the fuel station.

The mobile fuel bowser can also serve as an additional fuel supply, which improves productivity and timesaving for B.E.D.’s mining customer.

Aerial Views
B.E.D. Rustenburg recently offered the DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise drone to a mining customer. The DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise offers improved positioning accuracy using a global positioning system and other satellite systems to provide accuracy to the centimetre.

The drone features an upgraded propulsion system, longer flight time and improved stability, consequently allowing for more efficient and reliable operation in various conditions.

It can be used for inspection work, emergency responses, search and rescue operations and firefighting. It is also useful for night operations, when miners’ safety is a concern in an environment that is unsafe for human intervention.

Van Zijl says the drones offer several advantages when used for surveying and mapping, compared with more traditional methods, as they provide high-resolution imagery, two- and three-dimensional mapping, digital elevation metrics and terrain modelling, as well as the ability to do these functions repeatedly.

Consequently, the cost of exploration is reduced, as drones require fewer people and resources, as is the time spent on collecting and processing the data, he highlights.

The DJI Enterprise drone can be used for monitoring and inspecting areas that need to be analysed for stability, to determine the proper amount of backfill in areas already mined and identify areas that require additional support.

The drone can also be deployed to improve route logistics and planning

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