AutoMine® Aura and the next phase of underground automation

As underground mines become deeper and more complex, operators face increasing pressure to improve productivity while maintaining high safety standards. Over the past two decades, automation has played an increasingly important role in helping mining companies address these challenges, enabling equipment to operate more consistently while reducing worker exposure to hazardous environments. 

However, underground mining remains a highly dynamic operating environment. Infrastructure evolves, production priorities change and mine layouts develop over time. These conditions can create challenges for automated equipment, particularly where visibility and awareness of the surrounding environment are limited. 

To address these challenges, technology providers are focusing on systems that can better understand and respond to changing underground conditions. AutoMine® Aura, the latest automation platform from Sandvik, moves from 2D sensing to 3D perception and combines a rebuilt navigation system with greater onboard computing capacity. Together, these capabilities give automated underground equipment a more complete view of the mine environment. 

According to Sandvik, this fuller view helps the system navigate more consistently as conditions change. Variations in road height, uneven surfaces, dust and evolving tunnel conditions can challenge systems that rely on a limited slice of the environment. 3D perception gives the platform greater tolerance for these changes, reducing unnecessary stops and supporting situational awareness in active production areas.  

The development reflects a broader industry shift from automation that follows predefined routes towards systems capable of responding to increasingly complex and variable operating conditions. For mines seeking to maximise existing assets and improve operational efficiency, technologies that can respond dynamically to their environment are becoming an increasingly important area of innovation. 

Early deployments have demonstrated encouraging results. Sandvik reports that the technology has achieved more than 15 per cent higher material movement in a demanding underground mining operation, highlighting the potential productivity benefits of improved environmental awareness and navigation capability. While outcomes will vary between operations, the results illustrate the role that advanced sensing and perception technologies may play in future autonomous mining systems. 

Safety continues to be a key driver of automation adoption across the resources sector. Remote and automated operation can reduce worker exposure to underground hazards including dust, noise and vibration, while allowing personnel to supervise equipment from safer locations. 

Building on these established benefits, AutoMine® Aura combines existing access control systems with advanced 3D perception capabilities to improve awareness of people, equipment and infrastructure. The platform also includes a redesigned operator interface intended to provide a broader view of underground operations and support the supervision of multiple machines from a remote location. 

Beyond safety and productivity, the continued evolution of automation is also influencing workforce development. As automation systems become more sophisticated, operational roles are increasingly incorporating technology, data and remote supervision capabilities, creating new opportunities for skills development within the mining workforce. 

A further consideration is the cost and disruption of adopting new technology. Sandvik says AutoMine® Aura is backwards compatible and uses a retrofit approach, allowing upgraded machines to work with current communications and access control systems, reducing the need to replace established underground infrastructure. Operations can also introduce one or two machines alongside the existing platform before scaling into production. 

Commenting on the launch, David Hallett, Vice-President, Automation, at Sandvik, stated the platform represents a significant evolution in the company's approach to underground automation. 

'AutoMine® is already deployed at more than 140 mines globally,' Hallett said. 

'With AutoMine® Aura, we have developed a new platform that combines navigation technology, 3D perception and adaptive intelligence to help operators respond to increasingly dynamic underground environments.' 

While the technology is initially available on Sandvik underground loaders, the company plans to expand the platform across additional equipment over time. 

Beyond the expansion of AutoMine® Aura across additional Sandvik equipment, the integration of Universal Field Robots is extending AutoMine® to third-party machines, enabling the automation of secondary tasks such as water cannon operation and secondary breaking. Bringing diverse equipment into a common safety, communications and operating environment supports mixed-fleet automation while reducing worker exposure in active production areas.  

For the broader mining industry, developments such as AutoMine® Aura highlight the direction of travel for underground automation. As operators continue pursuing safer, more productive and more adaptable mining methods, technologies that improve environmental awareness and operational flexibility are likely to play an increasingly important role in the next generation of autonomous mining systems.

For more information please visit the Sandvik website here.