ROESTM compared to a typical stoping layout.

ROES™ mining system delivers step-change underground hard-rock mining

ROES™ is a new low-cost, remote-controlled, non-entry mining system, being developed in collaboration with Orica and with strong interest from major mining companies.

• 12 April 2006 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Overview
• Current activities
• Partners
• Outcomes
• About the scientists

Overview

The ROES™ Mining System Development project aims to deliver a step-change mining process for underground hard-rock mining.

ROES™ is based on remote-controlled, automated drilling and explosive placement equipment and is expected to reduce mining costs by 15–20 per cent.

The ROES™ method should:

• eliminate about half of the tunnelling
• remove people from hazardous tasks
• deliver further savings from the efficient remote/automated technology.

It will do this by utilising automated and remote-controlled mining platforms to drill and place explosives from within an access-shaft that runs through the ore-body. This shaft will be created by a conventional raise boring machine.

Blast holes will be drilled radially ourward from the staft. The holes can be tailored to follow a designated pattern that produces the desired three-dimensional shape containing the ore (stope) according to:

• structural issues
• grade boundaries
• other criteria.

Unlike conventional mining systems that require multiple levels of access roadways, ROES™ only requires access roadways at the top and bottom of the shaft. This drastically reduces the associated mining costs.

Current activities

By studying the operation of a percussive rock drill, the ROES™ team has developed a method to automatically adapt to, and report changing rock conditions. This maintains optimum drilling performance through  a range of rock types.

Some of the ROES™ drilling equipment has been trialled at the Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies in Brisbane.

The feasibility of ROES™ technology has been tested by several independent studies, and in collaboration with other researchers and mining companies. To do this, mining areas have been redesigned for ROES™ and the mining costs have been estimated.

The results have been very positive. One study was modelled and analysed in significant detail and discussions are underway to establish an underground mining trial. 

Our main task is to develop technology and methods to successfully remove people from hazardous tasks in the mining industry.

Further studies are proposed for other existing and possible future mines. System design and research is continuing.

Partners

CSIRO is working with Orica who have remote-controlled explosive placement technology. In a related project, we are also helping Orica to develop that technology for use in conventional mining methods. 

Curtin University of Technology (WASM) also provided assistance in the early stages of the project. 

Outcomes

The ROES™ Mining System Development project is delivering a new advanced mining process for underground hard-rock mines that:

• removes people from hazardous areas
• lowers costs by an estimated 15–20 per cent.

This process should

• improve safety
• improve profitability of existing mining operations
• reduce the time required to bring ore into production
• increase the amount of ‘ore’ in Australia by converting mineralisation from the ‘resource’ to ‘reserve’ category.  

It will deliver automated drilling and explosive emplacementequipment as well as online software allowing operators to design:

• blasting patterns
• assess relevant mining conditions
• monitor product quality
• interface with up-and-down stream mining processes.

About the scientists

The Project leader, Mr Jock Cunningham, specialises in research into automated mining and smelting. He has spent 20 years in research and development with Mount Isa Mine and SAIC. Mr Cunningham has been with CSIRO since 1997.

Find out more about the project leader, Mr Jock Cunningham: leading research into autonomous mining systems.