SAFETY FIRST
leveraging data and using programming to create systems to operate machinery automatically .”
SAFETY FIRST
Wilkes ’ vision is that by 2050 there won ’ t be anyone working underground at an OceanaGold operation . “ It ’ s driven by a need for better safety in the industry , and it ’ s also made possible by the advances in technology over the past 10 years . An example of that is wifi , which didn ’ t exist 20 years ago and now it ’ s ubiquitous in our businesses .” With the complete electrification of modern mining equipment now an achievable target thanks to advances with battery technology , Wilkes believes it ’ s becoming more realistic to replace diesel engines in an underground environment , which reduces exposure to particulates and the associated health risks from carbon emissions . “ For example , at one of our mines in New Zealand that we are looking to build in the next five years , we ’ re starting to think about how we design it to be a zero-carbon operation ,” he says .
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