TECHNOLOGY
The age of technology has finally arrived in the mining sector . Companies are beginning to embrace new technological advancements , implementing a wide range of initiatives into their operations to increase productivity , reduce costs , and enhance overall safety performance . One of the major driving forces in boosting productivity has become automation .
In 2013 , BHP Billiton ’ s coal business
produced 154-million tons of coal , including both metallurgical coal and energy coal . The company has been off to a great start in 2014 , reporting record outputs for coal and achieving a production increase of 10 percent business-wide in the last quarter .
And while the depressed thermal and coking coal prices have significantly reduce the profitability of BHP ’ s coal mines , the move towards automation is a game-changer for BHP . The
Main image : BHP ’ s Perth remote operations centre , insert right : BHP ’ s president of coal , Dean Dalla Valle
26 June 2014