Mining is one of the largest industries in the US, employing roughly 308,000 people (including
oil and gas). It’s also one of the most dangerous and expensive industries. Vehicles make up a
significant segment of a mining company’s expenses. From small, half-a-million-dollar haul
trucks (one of the most common vehicles in mining fleets) to massive $11 million dollar
excavators, these gargantuan vehicles are akin to large piles of money moving around on
wheels. Even when mining companies rent them (still a significant expense), they might be liable for damages. With rentals, efficiency is another concern because a $6,000-a-day dozer
just sitting around can be a painful sight. Efficiency can also be tied to routes because these
beasts burn gallons of diesel a minute, raising operational costs and lowering ESG scores
simultaneously. The right telematics solution, carefully selected and optimally installed, can have a major impact on mining fleet management operations, through enhancements to a number of key challenges :
Fatalities and Injuries
According to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MHSA), 28 people died during mining
operations in 2024, with 12 being attributed to powered haulage. This includes a wide range of
machinery and heavy-duty vehicles like haulage trucks, front-end loaders, cranes, etc. Vehicle-
related fatalities often have preventable causes, like an overturned truck because the driver
couldn’t see the edge of a stockpile. The number of non-fatal injuries that lead to loss of time
(NFDL) is significantly higher. In 2023, about 137 such injuries were attributed to just haulage
trucks, with 35% coming from the metal industry alone.
These are just operator injuries from one vehicle type. The combined number of injuries caused by operator and contractor injuries in mining is much higher. While multiple recommendations from the MHSA about avoiding such accidents are about visibility (better illumination and keeping a safe distance from the edge), they don’t involve cameras and other telematics.
Preventing fatalities and injuries that lead to loss of work, instilling fear in the remaining workforce, significant payouts, and often life-long injuries is just one of the ways telematics can improve mining fleet management, but arguably the most significant one.
Operational Efficiency Challenges
Mining sites offer a wide range of routing and maneuverability challenges that are further
aggravated underground. For example, just in hauling, longer routes can lead to fewer hauls
taken in a day, resulting in a reduced amount of load moved. It causes the company to bleed
money one way or another (renting more trucks or slower operations). Also, long vehicle idle
times and inefficient routing increase diesel emissions, exacerbating air quality issues in underground mines. Additionally, it’s difficult to maneuver in narrow underground tunnels, which may lead to slower movement and pileups if multiple vehicles are moving in a line. In open mining pits, certain weather conditions like rain and fog significantly limit visibility, creating unsafe driving conditions.
Vehicle Maintenance and Compliance Challenges
Vehicle maintenance and compliance challenges vary significantly within the mining industry as well. In metal mining sites, the presence of ore dust and continuous exposure to sharp rock fragments can lead to faster vehicle degradation. Improperly and insufficiently maintained vehicles are more liable to break down, and if it happens at a critical route, it can stall operations. It also adds to the fuel cost and might lead to routing limitations. Then, there are compliance challenges related to working hours, seat-belt usage, and not driving when overtired.
How Telematics Can Help Mining Fleet Management?
Telematics systems can help the mining industry with these challenges and offer a range of benefits. We have divided them into three telematics categories.
GPS and ELD
GPS and ELDs can offer a range of benefits, individually and collectively:
● Location Tracking: Enables real-time monitoring of vehicles operating in large or
remote mining sites. It can also help improve route efficiency, prevent unauthorized
movement, and track fuel usage.
● Compliance Management: ELDs ensure drivers adhere to Hours of Service (HOS)
regulations, especially when operating between mine sites and public roads. These laws
come from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), not MHSA, which
offers guidelines on driving safety but doesn’t impose specific HOS.
● Asset Utilization: Helps identify underused vehicles to optimize fleet allocation. On the
flip side, it can also let mining companies know which vehicles are being overutilized,
which when combined with other variables like age and condition, can also help
generate insights for asset retirement and new investments.
● Emergency Response: Precise GPS location aids in the quick deployment of resources
during equipment breakdowns or accidents. This is especially beneficial for large and
undermanned mines.
Sensors and Diagnostics
Sensors and diagnostics can be considered advanced telematics and their use needs to be
more “discerning” in mining fleets. The reason is that many mining vehicles, especially new
ones, might come with their own set of telematics and sensors, including ADAS. But practically (and statistically) speaking, a significant number of vehicles in most mining fleets are quite old. And they can significantly benefit from telematics sensors:
● Predictive Maintenance: Sensors can track engine health, tire pressure, and other
critical components, reducing costly equipment downtime.
● Fuel-Efficiency Monitoring: Identifies inefficient driving or equipment usage, allowing
for adjustments to reduce fuel costs. This can yield better results when assessed with
GPS-based routing data to maximize efficiency.
● Overload Alerts and Underload Alerts: Overload alerts monitor load weights to
prevent vehicle damage and enhance safety. Underload alerts can help tackle
inefficiencies in hauling.
● Environmental Adaptation: Specialized sensors can measure temperature, humidity,
or particulate levels, ensuring equipment is suited for harsh conditions.
Video Telematics Integration
Video integration can offer a range of benefits on its own but for many mining fleets and
vehicles, the benefits can be significantly enhanced by using AI-augmented video telematics:
● Safety: Strategically placed cameras can offer the driver a wide field of view and can
even curb the blind spot problem most large mining vehicles have. Rear cameras can
help them identify edges better before they start unloading.
● Driver Monitoring and Assistance: Dashcams and AI-powered video systems detect
unsafe behaviors like drowsy driving, harsh braking, or speeding. Ai powered video telematics systems improve driver and fleet safety, while reducing accident rates and fleet liability.
● Incident Documentation: Provides visual evidence of accidents for insurance or
compliance investigations. This is even more relevant for vehicles in the mining fleets
that are allowed to use regular roads by federal and state Departments of Transportation
(DOTs).
● Driver Training: Video footage can be used to coach drivers on proper operation
techniques, improving safety and efficiency.
● Site Security: Monitors vehicle surroundings to protect against theft or unauthorized
access, particularly at remote mining sites.
Conclusion
Mining vehicle fleets vary substantially, based on the site types and mining methodologies employed. Strip mining sites may utilize draglines and bucket-wheel excavators, while underground mining fleets tend to employ low-profile trucks and shuttle vehicles.
Telematics solutions and benefits can vary as well, depending on the fleet, the internal sensor
profiles of the vehicles, safety measures imposed on the fleet, and several other factors. Regardless, the benefits of telematics are impossible to deny. These benefits are further enhanced if analyzed in the context of ROI, considering the enormous cost of mining-related vehicles and the injury and fatality dangers they pose.
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