Hexagon, Scania and Fidens brought Brazil’s first remotely operated 8×4 mining truck online. Australian Mining looks at how the companies made it happen.
When the Samarco and Brumadinho dam disasters took place in 2015 and 2019, respectively, it signalled a need for change in the management of tailings dams.
In response to the incidents, the Brazilian Government elected to ban tailings dams built using the upstream method.
The construction of upstream tailings dams involves a dyke that continually expands upwards with the installation of raising lifts to accommodate waste as the tailings level rises.
On the other hand, downstream tailings dams are built on the dam wall away from the tailings pond, with the dykes built vertically on top of each other.
In light of the Brumadinho incident, the Brazilian Government mandated the decommissioning of all existing tailings dams by August 2021, which was later extended to February 2022.
The decision has led Brazilian mining companies to consider remotely operated vehicles that can access high-risk areas such as tailings dams without having a negative effect on the safety of workers and local communities.
Image: Hexagon
Listening to this market need, Hexagon partnered with Scania and Fidens to create Brazil’s first ever remotely operated 8×4 mining truck.
The trailblazing partnership saw each company combine their technology, equipment and expertise.
Hexagon – a global leader in digital reality and autonomous mining solutions – brought its HARD-LINE TeleOp solution to the partnership.
TeleOp remotely operates any heavy machinery from a control station both on the surface and underground. This enhances safety by eliminating operator exposure to common mining hazards such as dust, flying rock, falls, diesel fumes, and noise, allowing the operator to comfortably control the equipment from a distance.
The system also minimises travel risks and increases traffic control, keeping workers safe and operations moving.
TeleOp can keep machines working even during shift changes and blasting cycles, increasing productivity.
Supported by a user-friendly and customisable interface that can be applied to any machine, TeleOp provides ease of use across all equipment brands, one being Scania, a transport solutions provider.
“Just over a year ago, our partners Hexagon and Fidens came with a proposal,” Scania business development director Marcelo Gallao said.
“We have developed a lot of trucks for decommissioning dams. It was then that we came to drafting the first idea of a tele-operated Scania truck.
“With a total gross weight capacity of 60 tonnes, the largest capacity in tele-operated mining trucks, the eight-by-four truck has two drive axles and a dual-front steering system.”
Image: Hexagon
TeleOp was applied to a Scania G 500 XT 8×4 mining truck in July 2024, with the Fidens team sharing their mining expertise with Hexagon and Scania along the way.
“The new truck allows you to carry 50 per cent more cargo with the same investment in technology, the same operator and with practically the same operating costs, bringing around 30 per cent more productivity and more safety when performing services,” Fidens commercial director Thiago Frauches said.
Hexagon autonomous solutions – mining president Latin America Rodrigo Couto described the partnership as “a watershed moment for Brazilian mines”.
“We are shaping a new reality, demonstrating with our partners how technology can help mines be more productive and address the critical need for tailings dam decommissioning,” Couto said.
“Because TeleOp is adaptable to other truck models, this is just the beginning of what we know will be a highly impactful and positive transformation for the industry.”
This feature appeared in the November 2024 issue of Australian Mining.
