RCT, a company specializing in autonomous solutions, has completed a customized tele-remote project at the Ridder underground Tishinsky copper mine in Kazakhstan.
RCT’s ControlMaster Teleremote solution can be tailored to a mine’s site-specific requirements.
RCT worked with the local Caterpillar dealer to install and commission its ControlMaster automation technology onto two Caterpillar R1700G underground loaders and associated automation centres within the mine.
Kazzinc, the local mining company, is now using the ControlMaster solution.
Going forward, RCT will manufacture the tele-remote technology for an additional twelve Caterpillar R1700G and R1300G underground loaders with the equipment dealer installing this hardware at the Tishinsky and Dolinnoye mines.
RCT’s tele-remote solution allows machine operators to control equipment remotely from a secure station in the underground mine with the help of strategically placed cameras and sensors.
Tele-remote technology allows the full range of machine functions that would be available in the machine’s cab.
The company has also supplied its new digital communications network, RCT Connect, and integrated it with the underground loaders.
RCT Connect is designed specifically for autonomous and tele-remote machine operations in underground mining and provides low latency, consistent communications between inputs from surface and machine activities.
“The mining company will also experience improved site productivity through reduced shift handover times and less unplanned maintenance downtime from machine operator errors,” Stephen Macarow, RCT’s Moscow-based business development manager, said in a release.
“The ControlMaster Automation and Control solutions are fully interoperable and agnostic, it can be integrated into any machine make and model and carry out the same range of functions as promised by the OEM.”
(This article first appeared in the Canadian Mining Journal)