Earlier this month, the Las Bambas copper mine, operated by MMG, initiated pre-commissioning stage of the mine’s new integrated remote operations centre (IROC) in Lima, to remotely manage its mine operations located in Apurimac. This was a big step for the operation and for mining in Peru, as the facility is the first of its kind in the country. The facility has evolved from an initial Digital Operation Centre which began operations in 2021.
Las Bambas says the IROC encompasses the latest technology and digitalisation to remotely manage its mine operations. The cutting-edge centre integrates processes, technology and people to achieve more efficient production. The information from this innovative centre will enable Las Bambas to achieve operational excellence for a better decision-making and continuous collaboration.
“In this era of digital transformation, we’re working towards reinforcing integration, trust, and collaboration between the site teams and the IROC team. We also consider Advanced Analytics to be the key for decision-making,” stated Luis Ticona, Las Bambas acting Operations General Manager.
The IROC adds value to the business as more assertive decisions will be made based on the knowledge and analytics of the entire value chain. Thus, Las Bambas says it is helping to lead the way towards a more efficient and sustainable future for the mining industry, rooted in digital transformation. It includes remote control blasthole drilling with a fleet of Epiroc Pit Viper drills following a successful proof of concept phase.
The mining company told IM that the IROC was mainly developed in-house. The facility and layout was designed by its internal team, with construction works carried out by Binswanger Peru. Huawei was involved in the implementation of the data centre, and the control desks were assembled and manufactured in collaboration with optic fibre specialist YOFC. Technology aspects involved different collaborations, such as Motorola on radio, Komatsu-owned Modular Mining on the fleet management system (FMS) and DECCSA on the IT infrastructure. The mine itself has a 4G LTE network in place supplied by Nokia and Telefonica Peru.
