Developed in collaboration with Boliden and ArcelorMittal Mining Canada, the ABB Operations Management System for Mining is designed to coordinate mine operators, workforce, equipment and all mining activities in real-time from the face to the crusher.

Mine planners often build short-term plans with limited visibility of ongoing mine activities.

Mine operators have to consider and evaluate a complex set of operational constraints, adjusting to ever-changing, day-to-day and hour-to-hour situations.

This can impact operational efficiency and raise costs.

By integrating short interval control and closed-loop scheduling into a single digital platform ABB's OMS can improve responsiveness to unplanned events and reduce production variability through all the mine stages.

The ABB Ability OMS can present "what-if" scenarios in case of problems or operational change.

This helps mine operators and planners make better decisions faster, ensuring ongoing operation of the mine and increased productivity.

It also helps them move to a predictive, rather than reactive, maintenance model, which helps improve equipment availability.

The production flow from the mine is maximised through all stages of the production cycle.

ABB integrated mine operations product manager Eduardo Lima said ore inventory could be tracked and controlled to allow maximum flow and optimal grade.

"By integrating operational technology and information technology, operational awareness is increased for all personnel," he said.

"Staff see the same information at the same time and can jointly decide what actions to take in real time with no need to wait until the end of the shift."

Short interval control application allows mine operators to monitor and review operational plans and performance-based targets, metrics and key performance indicators.

Variances can be analysed and mitigated in real time during a shift for immediate corrective action.

Project teams at both ArcelorMittal Mining Canada's integrated remote operations centre and the Boliden mine operation centre provided operation expertise, existing infrastructure and dedicated resources support to ABB.

The technology was piloted at Boliden's Renstrom underground mine in Sweden and by ArcelorMittal at the Mont-Wright open pit mine in Canada.

ABB Ability OMS is part of the ABB Ability Mineoptimise portfolio of digitally connected products.