Mining operations are complex, to say the least.
From discovery to material management to sales, there are several moving parts in this large at scale industry. As a result, this immensity can lead to several issues on and off the job site.
Fortunately, drone mapping helps manage the bandwidth by enabling everyone involved to perform their job in a safe, profitable, productive, and conscious way.
Here are the top four reasons drone mapping is essential for the mining industry:
Safety
Mining is dangerous, plain and simple. And peace of mind is invaluable to anyone in charge of a mining site.
However, mining is an essential industry as it’s how we obtain important resources from the Earth. Unfortunately, the locations of these resources aren’t conveniently placed, which can make for plenty of obstacles.
For instance, during the exploration phase, the survey drone can flyover uncharted terrain and keep everyone out of harm’s way.
By incorporating UAV applications in mining during this process, you’re able to remotely understand and comprehend future job sites and mines without having to deal with any unforeseen risks such as landslides, cave-ins, pipe leaks, etc.
Also, if emergencies or other issues arise during a project, you can assess the situation by performing an ad hoc survey by drone. That way, you gain quick insights to inform your decisions on how to handle it without having to put yourself or others in danger.
Surveyors can additionally use the drone as a tool to measure stockpiles as opposed to climbing and scaling the piles themselves avoiding serious injuries altogether.
Real Time Asset Tracking
Having a good grasp on inventory can be a challenge for staying on top of demand.
Site inventory and stockpile data simply can’t be uncovered by surveyors as needed or even a frequent pace for that matter. Drone mapping bridges that gap with the ability to track progress as it occurs on the job site.
Survey drones can capture inventory and stockpiles in near real-time so you’re ‘in the know’ about mining operations– this can simplify a couple of different processes.
Record keeping
Record keeping becomes consistent and accurate. Performing routine flyovers keeps things up-to-date across all coordinate systems for data analysis.
Scheduling subcontractors
Scheduling subcontractors becomes painless. Drone data allows you to understand what needs to be done to allocate the appropriate amount of time for contractors to do their job.
Let’s say your business places a strict focus on minerals and aggregates– and overburden work is contracted out. If not done correctly, the purpose of the entire project could get pushed back because that initial first step wasn’t given enough time.
With drone mapping, this process becomes much smoother which leads to greater efficiency.
Productivity
Efficiency is another added benefit for drone mapping in the mining industry.
Getting the job done is one thing, but being the most productive is another.
The normal amount of work to be completed in a given period of time can be expedited with drone data. It gives insight to where inefficiencies may be developing and allows you to address them before they threaten the quality of work or due dates. Now, you can get more done in the same window of time, thus possibly over delivering!
This idea can be applied in many areas; however, a specific example is when optimizing mine blasts.
Constructing the perfect ratio of explosives to rock when conducting a blast is not an easy task. Drone mapping provides the ability to easily determine the rock-explosive ‘sweet spot.’
Earth and rock composition are the main determiners of how much explosive material to use. Drone mapping data allows you to interpret the earth makeup to improve the quality of blasts throughout the project.
Profitability and Return on Investment (ROI)
Ensuring the resources put into a mining project are returned at much higher value is crucial. Drone mapping does this in a number of ways:
Understanding value
Understanding the worth of the mining product is imperative for company executives. To put it in perspective:
You’re mining for gold and by project’s end, only half of the expected amount is produced. Falling short is an easier pill to swallow as the gold is being unearthed than discovering it late in the game. This makes for smoother planning and forecasting processes. It also drives how to manage future mining operations.
Delivering for the client
Cultivating your company’s reputation should be a top priority. Predicting exact amount of resources is impossible with no insight– drone mapping ensures you always know what you’re working with to avoid over promising product sales.
At the end of the day, an increased ROI is crucial. Not only does it run your business, but it also sheds light on how a mining company chooses to run their mining operations and adhere to any standards.
If you’re not working in a safe, thoughtful, and efficient manner, that value returned at the end of the project won’t hit its highest potential. Drone mapping enables you to do this in order to reach peak project value for current and future mining undertakings.
I’d call that a success, wouldn’t you? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Related Content: What is the Real ROI of Drone Mapping?