This paper describes work conducted as part of an overall research project that aims to identify current and emerging trends in the development of automation and remote mining technologies, and to provide an operator-centred perspective to the design and deployment of such systems. More specifically, this paper outlines a research and development process being constructed to examine the issues of the human skills and capabilities required to operate or maintain automated/remote controlled mobile mining equipment. A human factors approach presented here, where the focus is upon designing equipment interfaces to fit operators, rather than purely designing and deploying the equipment based on a technology-centred approach. However, the importance of training to help develop the required skills and capabilities is also emphasised.The work built on a full review of the literature about the effects of automation in mining and elsewhere, extensive interviews with different stakeholders in mining automation and recognised best practice regarding designing for the human element in automated systems. The human element research and development process proposed is in four stages, ranging from understanding the tasks involved in both manual and automated equipment operation through to user trials to ensure that the automated systems are acceptable to operators and are fit for purpose.It is outside the scope of the current paper to present the full data collection described by this four stage process, but an overview of what will be collected is presented. As such, this paper focuses on the broad methods being developed, rather than the specific results to be obtained. The ultimate objective is to apply a broad technology assessment' approach to the design, deployment and evaluation of automated mining technologies, in particular by considering the user-centred design implications of these technologies._x000D_
FORMAL CITATION:Horberry, T, Lynas, D, Franks, D, Barnes, R and Brereton, D, 2011. Brave new mine - examining the human factors implications of automation and remote operation in mining, in Proceedings Second International Future Mining Conference 2011, pp 53-58 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).