The implementation of autonomous mining systems at the Venetia underground mine in Limpopo, South Africa has the potential to produce up to 6 million tonnes of kimberlite ore per year, resulting in approximately 4 million carats of diamonds per year, according to De Beers group's managing director of operations, Moses Madondo.
He said this will occur over the next four years.
“The technologies we are implementing – some of which are under development themselves – will be gradually phased in,” Madondo was quoted as saying by IM Mining.
“Where appropriate, we will take advantage of ‘proven’ technologies first to ease the change management process, before advancing to less mature technologies thereafter.”
De Beers contracted Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions for its automated production equipment.
At first, ore will be transported to the surface using both underground and aboveground haul trucks.
As the operation progresses, the transportation systems will transition to an automatic truck loop, paired with vertical shafts for constant production.
“Our current fleet is made up of manually operated machines, which are optimised with automated task management,” said Madondo.
“This process still requires an on-board operator, although many functions are automated. The next step would be autonomous machines, operated and overseen from the surface, with our training centres already set up to deliver that.”
The production team is undergoing a pilot project to prepare for remote loading and autonomous tramming to the dump.
Testing will take place later this year and into 2024.
De Beers began the $2.3 billion expansion of the Venetia mine in 2012, which was the largest investment in South Africa's diamond mining industry in decades.
Production at the mine started in June this year when construction was only 70% complete.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
