Fuel: managing the 'lifeblood' of mining operations

Energy and fuel represent huge costs for mining companies, so no wonder fuel management is a big focus for many.

With clients all over the globe including Rio Tinto, Newmont and BHP, VERIDAPT has developed a three-tier technology system to help miners monitor and optimise their fuel.

"Fuel is often the second largest operating expense after labour in mining," said co-founder and chief technology officer Sean Birrell.

"We describe it in three layers: in the field you have sensors – they might be flow meters, temperature sensors, or level gages for tanks – there are a variety of different sensors that are measuring the fuel and lubricants that you may have within your operation.

"Then there is a middle layer, where we aggregate the data from those sensors, and implement business logic."

This includes information about who is authorised to get fuel and from where and how frequently, linked to billing, so that the system can understand and control the workflow.

"Finally, the third layer is our cloud applications."

With all that data aggregated, miners can use the VERIDAPT cloud for reporting for compliance, environmental or accounting purposes, and set up new authorisation models to manage the fuel supply chain.

Scope and scale

"It is fairly straightforward – you receive fuel, you store it, and you consume it," Birrell said.

"But the reality of mining is that it takes place in remote areas, with operations potentially spread across an entire continent or internationally, and it becomes complex."

Within that picture is a large amount of fuel handling infrastructure such as pipelines, and a range of different equipment that requires fuel.

There are also locations on mines which are unstaffed, added to which many mines experience temperature extremes and other harsh conditions.

This all makes for a complex supply chain to manage, operationally and practically.

"We have worked to create technologies and products that fit that supply chain complexities, and the software and the smarts, to manage those kinds of complex supply chains, but also develop ruggedized hardware and equipment that can survive in those conditions and service those customers reliably," Birrell said.

Streamlining and saving

The use of a system such as Veridapt can help miners manage supply chains more efficiently, Birrell said.

Whether it is down to the simple fact of being monitored itself, the system reduces theft, misuse and misappropriation, he explained.

"Then there are lots of logistical savings in terms of ensuring that you have the product when you need it and you don't run out," Birrell added.

Being in control of data about fuel helps companies to reconcile fuel and delivery faster, speeding up payments, and to identify usage patterns to optimise and correct anomalies that show up in the system, such as leaks.

Birrell calls fuel the "lifeblood" of mining operations. Being able to streamline and automate a big part of that process has huge benefits, he said.

Veridapt can also support operations that are transitioning to electric equipment by providing an overarching view of the energy mix, and is already incorporating data on biofuels as part of that mix.

Research projects into increased use of AI for pattern matching and anomaly detections that might be harder to spot are on the go, while a recent development has been stockpile monitoring technology.
 

Read the article on Mining Magazine