From Pit Stops To Payloads

From lithium and cobalt for electric vehicle batteries, to bauxite and cadmium for solar panels, mining will continue to play an integral role in securing the resources needed to transform society. It is critical that the mining industry itself is equipped with the tools to decarbonise as rapidly as possible, allowing it to lead the way in enabling a more sustainable future for us all.

When looking for the best solution, there is often little need to attempt to reinvent the wheel. In working to help accelerate the decarbonisation of the mining industry, McLaren Applied has been implementing new products and technologies based on its existing knowledge and expertise gained from other industries, such as motorsport.

Will Owen (WO), Editor of Global Mining Review, recently spoke with Gonzalo Otegui (GO), Data Science Product Owner, and David Rogers (DR), VP Mining Sales, at McLaren Applied’s office in Woking, UK, to find out more.

WO

What does a company known for motorsport bring to the mining industry?

GO

At face value it does sound like a weird match, but when you look at it in more detail, it makes quite a lot of sense. In motorsports, the performance and efficiency of the cars are of paramount importance, not to mention the critical nature of energy deployment strategies. In mining it’s exactly the same, the purpose is just slightly different. In motorsports, we look to enable a car to go round a circuit as fast as possible, while in the mining industry the aim is to make the truck and track as productive and efficient as possible, in order to reduce fuel usage and emissions. In the end, both share a very common thread, just with a slightly different perspective. Thus, we are leveraging all the know-how that we have accumulated from many years working in the motorsport space and are applying it to mining.

DR

I think there are a lot of synergies between an opencast mine and a motor circuit. For one, both share the same need for high-speed connectivity to facilitate real-time decision-making. Another example is the shared desire to optimise energy efficiency to get around. Mining may operate at a ‘slightly’ slower speed than motorsport, but the aim remains the same: to not only save fuel and reduce CO2 emissions, but to improve productivity as well.

GO

Adding to David’s point on connectivity, I’d like to emphasise again its critical importance. Being connected to all of the high-value pieces of equipment involved in mining is critical to the success of operations – data from any part of a track should be accessible at any time for analysis. This is another thing that McLaren brings over from motorsports to mining: advanced analytics.

WO

What is the makeup of the McLaren Applied team working on this, and what type of backgrounds do they have?

GO

It’s a pretty diverse team, possessing a broad variety of skills from quite different backgrounds. We have data scientists, simulation engineers, cloud software engineers, etc., each of them adding different perspectives and skill sets to the mix. This helps to ensure that we are delivering the best quality product possible.

The data scientists, of course, are experts in analysing vast amounts of data. They take all the data collected from mining operations and extract insights gained from that applied advanced machine learning. Algorithms, predictive algorithms, etc., allow us to identify what decisions we can make in real time to help the mining operations.

Then we have the simulation engineers, mostly coming from the motorsports world. Through simulation, we can run very advanced models to exercise how a track would behave in various specific conditions during mine operations. This allows us to further gain confidence in the algorithms that we are using to generate these recommendations for the track operators, and also to tweak the algorithm further.

This is a solution that relies on a lot of data being collected. The advanced models are trained using the large quantities of data being generated on the track, providing operators with recommendations in real time. Cloud software engineers are critically important to maintaining a high-quality infrastructure that delivers.

The team that fills these roles come from a variety of diverse backgrounds. The McLaren Applied team has people from the automotive world, motorsports, and even an award-winning physicist from the space research world. We try to bring as many perspectives as possible that really enhance and improve our reactivity when it comes to tackling the different challenges that we face.

DR

McLaren Applied is packed full of high calibre engineers, probably 95% of the workforce, and it starts at the very top. To give a few examples, our Chairman Nick Fry was behind Brawn GP’s success in 2009, and prior to that was responsible for the rejuvenation of Aston Martin with the DB7 model – the first Aston Martin to sell in higher volumes. Furthermore, Samir Maha, our COO, was a leader in his previous roles dealing with the quarrying industry and at the consultancy McKinsey. Finally, one of our Directors, Pablo Garcia, brings a very deep well of knowledge and experience to the table, covering lots of different fields, but transport in particular. It’s a really great bunch of engineers generally, as well as myself and several others supporting them with our own knowledge and expertise.

WO

How does the McLaren fuel analytics service work?

GO

At its core, it is an analytics cloud solution which works in the different stages. One of the most important steps is accessing the data. All of the data that is being generated by the dump trucks during the operation is a treasure trove of valuable information. By analysing this data, we can understand what the performance efficiencies are, and the kind of gaps that might exist. First though, we need to collect that vast amount of data. This is where constant connectivity plays a pivotal role, facilitated by our product Halo 300.

Once we have collected all the data, we need to make sense of it. As I said, it is a treasure trove in terms of what it can contain and what insights can be extracted. Our data scientists have developed a model that analyses how different truck operators behave (i.e. how they drive). We are able to automatically identify what the most efficient driving behaviours are for dump truck operators. With this information, we are building a model for the ‘ideal driver’. At the end of the day, this is very much like in Formula 1 (F1) when we try to distil what the ideal driver would do, in order to help real drivers train to be as fast as possible. Here, we do the same, but with mining and truck operators.

This automated process of collecting all the data and training this really advanced model that will create the ideal driver allows us to work in really challenging conditions. Mines are very dynamic, ever-changing places, and this is where the beauty of these solutions shines through. They are highly adaptive, and keep learning from all the data that is collected in real time. This allows us to always ensure that we are delivering the best possible recommendations that we can to the mining truck operators, again in real time. The operators would be relayed these recommendations on a screen within the cab, and from this they will know in real time exactly what speed they need to be driving to be super-efficient. This has a wide range of benefits. The most obvious one is the reduction in fuel consumption that comes with efficient driving. Through this, we are really striving to help our mining customers tackle OPEX issues, as well as helping them with their environmental concerns and decarbonisation targets – a top priority for mine operators. Another key benefit of our real-time recommendations is a boost to productivity.

These are the core benefits that customers receive from our service, but of course there are many others that can come along with it. For example, in relation to operator training. Mine managers expend a significant amount of time and effort training their operators to be as efficient as possible. Our solution takes an activity that traditionally has been asynchronous – based on post-shift analysis of the performance of the operators – and streamlines the process, as the operators receive real-time feedback on how they are performing and where they need to improve. This really reduces the time that mine managers need to spend on training, and produces proven results. Furthermore, our recommendations to customers for maximum-efficiency truck operation really help with the lifespan and the maintenance needs of the vehicles in question.

DR

To add to what Gonzalo has already said, I believe the way we relay the recommendations to the operators in very simple terms, so it’s nice and easy to follow, is very valuable. All that is required to review our recommendations is a quick glance at the head-up display in the cabin right in front of an operator. We don’t add a whole range of other screens around the cabin, creating what can sometimes feel like a spaceship; we make everything very user-friendly.

We can gamify the experience to make it more enjoyable. Operators can lean in to the competitive edge of league tables, which adds some fun to the task of maximising productivity and makes the work enjoyable to carry out.

GO

Exactly. The live feedback the operators receive, and the way it’s presented, really makes it feel like a game. The operator will see a green box on their screen, and they need to maintain a level of performance within that green box – indicated by a line. The green box will keep changing throughout an operation, so they will see in real time exactly what they need to be doing to adapt. This also ties into the delivery of asynchronous feedback: we provide mine managers with a lot of information that they can use to accelerate processes.

Also, another benefit of this solution is that it works kind of like a feedback loop – it is constantly learning from the behaviours of the most efficient operators. It learns what the most efficient behaviours are, transmits them to the whole fleet, and then learns from the results. The system is constantly adapting to the existing conditions in real-time, ensuring that the recommendations being offered are truly what is most efficient for the mine in question at that given moment, as they are being generated based on data provided by real operators in-situ.

Thanks to the constant collection of data, we are able to retrain a mine’s model every six hours, helping to account for the changing features of a mine such as: a route being extended a bit further, an excavator making additional progress, a location being moved, mine conditions worsening or improving overtime, etc. This makes our product really adaptable for new mines as they start growing, and helps manager get the most out of their operations. To put the speed of this remodelling in perspective, the average mining truck operator shift is 12 hours – effectively we are able to update the model at a faster rate than shifts are completed.

WO

What results are your customers seeing in terms of fuel savings, and what other benefits are there?

GO

Most of our customers face two primary challenges, and we briefly covered them earlier: OPEX issues (fuel expenditure can amount anywhere to 25 – 30% of the operation costs of a mine, and the price of diesel has been increasing steadily over time) and decarbonisation (there are many ambitious targets to hit with regards to decarbonisation and the electrification of mining). As such, these are two of the main challenges that we are trying to help with.

With the increased efficiency promoted by our solution, we see that we can save customers in the realm of 5% of fuel and emissions, which is something that really helps make an operation more cost effective and greener. We have recently been working with one of our main customers, PAMA, with whom we’ve observed on average a 4.5% reduction of fuel consumption. Moreover, we see the operators who are most aggressive in aligning with our recommendations are saving closer to 6.5%, while also being approximately 5.5% more productive. When we talk about increases in productivity, we mean reduced cycle times – i.e. more material is moved from point A to point B in less time. These results clearly demonstrate that the benefits our customers are receiving are sizable and making a significant impact in helping them meet their targets; both in terms of costs and ESG and sustainability.

DR

When considering these percentage improvements, it’s important to remember the scale on which mines operate: even incremental improvements can convert to massive savings. As Gonzalo alluded to earlier, the other hidden benefits cannot be overlooked; one example being the reductions in operator training time, as well as predictive maintenance. On the maintenance side of things, the flagging of underperforming vehicles helps reduce downtime as a result of mechanical failure and contributes to increased productivity.

WO

Are there any challenges in collecting the data your solutions require?

GO

This is one of the biggest challenges we face. Connectivity plays a really pivotal and critical role in data collection, and that’s where our product, Halo 300, comes in. With Halo 300, we are able to aggregate different sources to provide a single seamless network, while simultaneously providing edge computing capabilities. For us it’s really a game changer, in terms of allowing us to collect data from multiple sources on a truck and then send that data to the cloud in a super robust manner.

Other than enabling us to run the fuel analytics service with the confidence that we are utilising all the data connected with it, it also provides customers with further advantages because Halo 300 has fibre optic computing power. This means it can run applications other than ours, making it a product that is prepared to adapt to the new applications of the future, as well as those currently deployed on edge to ensure that a truck is performing at its best.

Our connectivity technology is, again, something that originally comes from F1. As we’ve already discussed, obviously connectivity is such a top priority in F1, as well as being a massive challenge – you have really fast-moving vehicles going around the track, and nearly half a million people in stands watching the race. As you can imagine, this makes it a really challenging place in which to provide real-time and high-performance connectivity.

McLaren Applied has always been focused on taking these technologies and using them to reach other industries. Our connectivity solution was first deployed into the rail industry with our Active Antenna product being used on trains running around the UK – gathering incredibly detailed data about tracks, foliage, conditions, etc. Then, with high success, it was integrated in other industries involving vehicles where connectivity is critical. Active Antenna and Halo offer a robust product that has been proven in the past, and has shown its strength in some of the most challenging conditions in the world. We are now working to expand our list of ‘other industries’ to include mining.

DR

There are certainly challenges as Gonzalo has said, but, again, it is worth pointing out there are lots of supplementary benefits, particularly with Halo as well. We’re not only delivering aggregated connectivity, but with the onboard computing power of the Halo, we’re also able to capture lots of data and run all kinds of edge computing. We can provide high-precision location too, down to approximately two centimetres. The possibilities are pretty much endless with Halo.

WO

Are there any other solutions from motorsport that are applicable to the mining industry?

GO

One that we are really pushing at the moment, because we see that it can have massive value in the mining industry, is high performance sensors. McLaren is incredibly strong in sensors and in electronic hardware. That was the original core when McLaren Applied was created. One of the sensors that I’m most in love with at the moment is the tyre pressure management system. In F1 tyres are pretty much everything. Unfortunately, in other industries people are not taking as much care of their tyres as they potentially could.

The pressure management system allows us not only to measure pressure, but also allows us to measure temperature and humidity in real time. Combined with Halo, we can not only gather but access all of this data in real time. Viewing all these parameters together can allow us to, for example, take decisions in terms of the optimum tyre pressure that a truck should be utilising; the best air that should be used to fill the tyres, in terms of humidity, water content, etc; and how both of these factors impact the efficiency of the truck. Tyre pressure has a massive impact on rolling resistance, and therefore on both fuel consumptions and emissions.

Using optimum parameters can have a massive impact on the degradation rate and lifespan of a tyre. Mining tyres are really expensive and have a short life expectancy. One dump truck uses six tyres at a time, so with the tyre pressure monitoring system there is huge potential for savings. First, pressure data is optimised to maximise efficiency benefits. By having that optimal pressure in place to minimise rolling resistance, we can ensure that the tyre is degrading in the best possible way, therefore increasing its lifespan and reducing the cost of the truck. As with the fuel analytics service, one of the key benefits of this relates to maintenance, in addition to security. Having access to this source of data in real time really helps us to identify when something is going to go wrong, be hazardous, or when there is a risk of a potential puncture or burst of the tyre.

With this you have another example of one of the great products that we’ve developed, with this one in particular coming directly from our motorsports business unit. It has been rigorously tested, in incredibly challenging scenarios, and is starting to make its way into the mining world.

DR

This solution can also play a crucial role in pit to port transportation; another area which we’ve been receiving a lot of interest in. For example, with regards to the massive ore delivery road trains being operated in countries like Australia, some of the heaviest vehicles in the world, there is a great need for effective tyre management. The primary concern is obviously to ensure the safe delivery of the ore, but benefitting from potential efficiency gains is an important objective as well.

WO

How is a company based in Woking approaching a global industry operating often in some relatively remote parts of the world?

DR

It’s certainly an exciting challenge. Obviously, we do a lot of research into different areas and draw a lot of information from past experience, in order to determine the best mining capitals to target. A lot of the effort comes from myself, Gonzalo, and the team offering assistance to many existing customers and networks, built over the course of years in the industry, but we also attend various conferences and exhibitions around the world to make new connections. We are also working with carefully chosen, well respected partners in different jurisdictions and regions, all over the globe. In fact, just recently we signed an agreement with a Mongolian reseller/partner. This relationship developed out of a British government celebration of 60 years of consular relations between Mongolia and the UK. We work closely with the Department of Business and Trade as well, who are incredibly supportive and can help open many doors and answer a lot of questions. And then there is our North American office, in North Carolina, who are always very happy to help us out and it’s always a pleasure dealing with them.

WO

Are there any particular regions you are focused on?

DR

Our research has guided us to a number of different regions. Naturally, mining is more prevalent in in some areas than others – e.g. Australia, Africa, Canada, Central Asia, etc. The way which we narrow our focus is through our partnerships with local, respected individuals and companies in those areas. We’ve concentrated on developing those relationships at the moment, while keeping our eyes open for new opportunities. Like I said, we’ve just signed an agreement with a Mongolian partner, but we’ve also been out in Kazakhstan recently with the Department of Business and Trade. We flew out to Astana, had some meetings at the embassy there with some local companies, and then flew down to Almaty and spent a few days there at a conference. I find it really valuable to make connections with professionals in local areas. It provides a great foundation from which we can work to provide the best possible service to customers.

These examples provide a good overview of how we’re working to scale up at the moment, and how we’re reaching new areas. It is sometimes difficult to reach from a comparatively small town, such as Woking, in the south of England, but it really hasn’t held us back. We embrace the challenge like any other.

WO

Finally, do either of you have any final remarks on McLaren’s work in the mining industry? Any other thoughts you would like to share?

DR

We’re strongly focused on pioneering a better future, no matter what industry we’re operating in. In the transport industry, we’ve worked to reduce emissions, improve connectivity, and generally make life better for people both travelling on trains and operating them, as well as making them safer. We’re now doing the same for mining, as well as continuing to do so on the automotive side and in motorsport. In pioneering that better future, where we can really have an impact in mining is through helping companies on their journey to net zero. We can’t take all of the emissions away at the moment, but we can really help reduce them and accelerate organisations’ progress along the path. That’s what really drives me personally.

GO

Especially with all the electrification efforts, there is going to be a significant interval until the world can get where it wants to be in terms of climate targets. We can really help with the reduction of emissions in the meantime. Most importantly, speaking purely about our fuel analytics service, the conversation focuses largely on its adaptability. We call it a fuel analytics service, but we could probably call it an energy analytics service, because effectively what we are looking at is finding the best way to deploy energy. For a diesel truck, that energy is diesel; for an electric truck, that energy would be electricity; for a hydrogen truck, that energy would be hydrogen; and so this technology will still remain relevant regardless of the source of energy that the trucks are using. We are able to assist customers during the energy transition, and will be able to help them once the transition has been made.

And that’s just with regards to the fuel analytics. On the connectivity front, this is what’s going to drive all the other innovations forward – both ours and the rest of the innovations that may come to the mining space. Making sure that moving vehicles and moving pieces of equipment are connected, and that all the data collected can be delivered to the places where the decision-making is taking place, allowing for edge connectivity, is going to revolutionise how mining works.

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/technology-digitalisation/29012024/from-pit-stops-to-payloads/