Mining Contract: Eliminating Barriers for the Implementation of Automation in the Mining Industry

Contract Status & Impact

This contract is ongoing. For more information on this contract, send a request to mining@cdc.gov.

This contract has three objectives, as follows:

1. Identify and evaluate current U.S. federal regulations and other influencing factors that may serve as barriers to the implementation of automation and new technologies into the mining industry, particularly those that could translate to significant improvements in worker safety and health.
2. Identify regulatory strategies that have been successfully adapted in other industry jurisdictions and countries that encourage the safe and effective implementation of automation and other new technologies into operating environments.
3. Describe potential avenues for the successful implementation of automation in the U.S., including research required to demonstrate that automation can achieve health and safety  protection at an equal or higher standard than a non-automated system for mine and plant safety and health.

To achieve these objectives, researchers will begin by reviewing regulations and changes in regulations from other countries where automation in mining has been encouraged. This task requires a thorough review and identification of U.S. regulation that may limit or discourage adoption of automation in both underground and surface operating environments for a variety of commodities, including Title 30, Code of Federal Regulations (30 CFR), which governs mine safety and health in the U.S. Researchers will also review other statutes, regulations, and corporate policies that may also directly affect the ability of an operation to implement new automation in a timely fashion. This task may also involve examination of other industry sectors that are federally regulated and use high levels of automation (e.g., petroleum, petrochemical refining, and transportation) to understand regulatory barriers and incentives.

Secondly, researchers will organize workshops and identify interested parties for participation. These workshops will occur in conjunction with existing national and regional meetings organized by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME). This task aligns with the mission of SME and would benefit from the technical scope of SME membership, which includes equipment manufacturers, suppliers, mine operators, consultants, regulators, and other professionals. Those who are advancing and using automation in the U.S. include global equipment manufacturers and suppliers and operators and mines that are recognized leaders in cutting-edge automation. Finally, this task will also identify a diverse range of groups representing industry professionals that play pivotal roles in technology advancement, including universities, government scientific and regulatory entities, private and public research organizations, and professional societies and trade organizations.

Thirdly, workshops and consultation with industry professionals will allow for primary data collection and promote discussion with knowledgeable parties. A minimum of six workshops are planned, in-person. Potential workshop meetings can be held in conjunction with SME conferences. Further, small focus groups will be convened as necessary to discuss specific issues with industry constituencies. As envisioned, this would include discussions with companies and regulators involved in large deployments of mining-related automation systems in Australia and Canada, as well as companies that represent advanced start-ups to better understand the processes and challenges they have faced. These types of discussions will aid in understanding potential opportunities to effectively regulate the technology in the U.S. without creating adverse barriers to innovation.

The deliverables associated with this research possess no direct path to commercialization; rather, the work supports efforts to identify and remove barriers that can deter the integration of new technologies in the mining industry. If successful, the research will likely contribute to the eventual uptake and commercialization of automation and related technologies that can improve mining safety and health.