Increasing Your Operational Control and Monitoring for High Quality Performance and Improved Safety

Increasing Your Operational Control and Monitoring for High Quality Performance and Improved Safety

Automation & Communications lie at the heart of a productive, safe and efficient mine site. With the nation’s mine sites at very different stages when it comes to automation of their plants, processes and equipment, it is critical to address mine site automation and communication to ensure that potential problems onsite are resolved and planned for effectively.  

Mining IQ Interview's Sylvain Picard who presented at the 2010 Mine Site Automation Conference. The interview explores the importance of planning wireless communication at an early stage of a mining project, implementation problems and much more. Sylvain is the Systems and Automation Manager, on the Koniambo Nickel Project HATCH & SOCIÉTÉ MINIÈRE DU SUD PACIFIQUE.

Questions addressed:

1. Could you explain the importance of planning wireless communication at an early stage of a mining project?
2. What are the benefits of implementing wireless communication during the construction phase of a large mining and smelting operation?
3. What implementation problems have you come across and how did you overcome them?
4. Finally, what do you identify as the 3 main challenges being faced currently when it comes to the issue of wireless communication within the mining industry?