Developing novel techniques for sustainable and continuous mining operations

这项研究计划旨在解决和应用未来矿山所需的一些创新技术。为了保持加拿大的全球竞争力，采矿业需要在高风险的环境中不断创新和自动化。为了实现这一目标，在过去的几年里，主要的国际矿业公司聚集了来自工业界、学术界（申请人被邀请参加）和政府的国际专家，在欧洲、巴西和萨德伯里的论坛上讨论了潜在的改变游戏规则的技术和未来深部地下和地表矿山所需的技术。总的来说，自动化和连续采矿作业以及新的采矿技术需要长期的技术投资，高素质的人才来开发，运营，维护和管理安全，有竞争力和可持续的采矿作业。世界级矿藏的发现越来越少，这一事实要求采矿和勘探技术的进步，以实现更深层次的可持续采矿挖掘。然而，安全和有竞争力的采矿面临的最严峻挑战与高岩体应力、能源限制、通风和制冷以及不断提高的环境要求有关。拟议的研究计划遵循申请人先前的发现赠款，重点是可持续的深部开采技术。它的目的是促进和解决加拿大采矿业在未来采矿作业中面临的技术挑战，这些采矿作业需要扩展到超过目前规范的深度。将继续强调创新、HQP的产生以及加拿大采矿业可持续发展的经济和社会意义。四个研究重点将进一步扩展，并将通过综合的跨学科方法在拟议的研究计划中开发和应用，如下：1-岩石预处理，以优化坚固岩石的机械破碎; 2-矿山回填技术3-可再生能源在采矿作业中的应用。4-钻头磨损监测和故障预测为确保拟议研究计划的成功，研究活动应按照上述四个研究主题/优先事项平行进行。因此，本提案通篇采用同样的格式。

This research program to address and apply some of the innovative technologies that is needed for mine of the future. For Canada to maintain its global competitiveness, mining industry continuously needs to innovate and automate in an environment of high risk. To achieve this major international mining companies in the past several years have assembled international experts from Industry, academia (applicant was invited in some) and government in forums in Europe, Brazil, and Sudbury to discuss potential game changer technologies and techniques needed for the mine of the future for both deep underground and surface mines. The conclusion in general is that the automated and continuous mining operations and new mining techniques require a long-term investment in technology, talented Highly Qualified Personnel to develop, operate, maintain, and manage safe, competitive and sustainable mining operations. The fact that fewer world class mineral deposits are being found requires advances in mining and exploration technologies that will enable deeper sustainable mining excavations. The most severe challenges to safe and competitive mining, however, relate to high rockmass stresses, energy constraints, ventilation, and refrigeration, as well as increased environmental requirements. The proposed research program follows the applicant's prior Discovery grant focus on sustainable deep mining technologies. It aims to contribute and address technical challenges that the Canadian mining industry is facing in future mining operations that will need to extend to depths beyond current norms. Emphasis will continue to be given to innovation, generation of HQP and the economic and social significance of sustainable development of the Canadian mining industry. Four research priorities will be extended further and will be develop and apply in the proposed research program through an integrated, interdisciplinary approach, as follows: 1-Rock pre-conditioning for optimizing mechanical breakage of strong rocks; 2-Mine backfill technology 3-Application of renewable energy in mining operations. 4-Drill bit wear monitoring and failure prediction To guarantee the success of the proposed research program, research activities should be conducted in parallel in accordance with the four research themes/ priorities mentioned above. Accordingly, the same format is followed throughout the present proposal.