The mining industry is still one of the backbones of the global economy, seeing as how the majority of the world still runs on fossil fuels. Even if we did decide to make a sharp 180-degree turn as soon as today, it would take years and years until the entire global grid was recalibrated in order to support this change. In other words, the question of improving working efficiency in a mine face is still a huge issue and its importance seems to be growing with each passing day.
Working Efficiency
Here are several suggestions on how working efficiency in a mine face can be improved drastically.
Health and safety
The first issue worth addressing is the one of safety. You see, the mining industry is incredibly dangerous. Coal dust inhalation, working around dangerous, loud machinery and other chemical hazards are common occurrences. This is why every trend that aims to improve working efficiency needs to start by asking an additional question:
- How to increase working efficiency without compromising on-site safety?
The most obvious answer is to improve the application of the ventilation systems on-site. This will ensure that the workers are away from some of the most dangerous fumes. It will also keep the temperature on a decent level.
The efficiency of mining equipment
The next thing worth addressing is the importance of improving mining equipment on site. These are equipment pieces like mining drills, blasting tools, earthmovers and crushing equipment. As you can already tell, each of these tools can be incredibly dangerous when used improperly. Other than this, you also need to think about extraction equipment like composite rollers. Proper use and maintenance of rollers will minimize downtime, which will drastically improve working efficiency. Just keep in mind that your maintenance schedule and our maintenance teams need to be up to the task.
Flexible financing solutions
In the past, investments in the mining industries were unevenly distributed. Major corporations seemed to have endless resources, while smaller mining companies had a hard time attracting investors. Today, we live in a world of flexible financing solutions. This means that there is a lower likelihood that a promising project would be scrapped or shelved. In other words, the competitiveness of the industry is a lot higher and the margin of error is lower. An influx of fresh capital and high competitiveness is the recipe for a high driving force behind any strong R&D project.
Environmental concerns
The final issue worth addressing here is the question of environmental and health concerns that can happen during exploration and mining. The quality of groundwater and surface water may be compromised. The presence of various industrial chemicals might find its way there. Then, the question of ore bodies, on their own, can be a major concern, when not addressed carefully enough. One of the most important ways to handle this concern would be to develop ore deposits with as little environmental impact as possible. Traditional ore deposits are what gave the mining industry a bad name, in the first place.
In conclusion
The mining industry is essential for energetics and manufacturing industries all over the globe. This is why any improvement in its efficiency creates a chain reaction that drives countless industries forward. Still, this industry is unlike any other. If not handled carefully, it can be a hazard for both employees and the environment as a whole. This means that whenever you try to drive the efficiency and progress forward, you need to find a way to do this as safely as possible. The above-listed four suggestions are just four directions in which this industry seems to be moving forward.
