How IoT can lessen exploration failures

Improving the process of identifying and extracting what is below the earth’s surface for drilling contractors, geologists, resource companies, miners and the likes cannot be over emphasized, judging by the quality of time and resources which flows into exploration before the actual mining of natural resources. AYONI AGBABIAKA explains how the IoT can help solve the decades long problem of miners unproductive explorations.

What is this IoT?

The Internet of Things or IoT, refers to billions of physical devices around the world that are now connected to the internet, collecting and sharing data. Thanks to cheap processors and wireless networks.

IoT adds a level of digital intelligence to devices that would be otherwise dumb, enabling them to communicate without a human being involved, and merging the digital and physical worlds.

Demystifying the IoT

Unbelievably almost all physical objects can be transformed into an IoT device if it can be connected to the internet and controlled that way.

A lightbulb that can be switched on using a smartphone app is an IoT device, as is a motion sensor or a smart thermostat in your office or a connected streetlight. An IoT device could be as fluffy as a child’s toy or as serious as a driverless truck, or as complicated as a jet engine that’s now filled with thousands of sensors collecting and transmitting data.

The term ‘IoT’ is mainly used for devices that wouldn’t usually be generally expected to have an internet connection, that can communicate with the network independently of human action.

For this reason, a PC isn’t generally considered an IoT device and neither is a smartphone — even though the latter is crammed with sensors. A smartwatch or a fitness band might be counted as an IoT device, however.

The idea of adding sensor and intelligence to basic objects was discussed throughout the 1980s and 1990s (and there are arguably some much earlier ancestors), but apart from some early projects — including an internet-connected vending machine — progress was slow simply because the technology wasn’t in place.

Processors that were cheap and power-frugal enough to be all but disposable were required before it became cost-effective to connect up billions of devices.

The adoption of RFID tags — low-power chips that can communicate wirelessly — solved some of this issue, along with the increasing availability of broadband internet and cellular and wireless networking.

The adoption of IPv6 — which, among other things, should provide enough IP addresses for every device the world (or indeed this galaxy) is ever likely to need — was also a necessary step for the IoT to scale. Kevin Ashton coined the phrase ‘Internet of Things’ in 1999, although it took at least another decade for the technology to catch up with the vision.

Adding RFID tags to expensive pieces of equipment to help track their location was one of the first IoT applications. But since then, the cost of adding sensors and an internet connection to objects has continued to fall, and experts predict that this basic functionality could one day cost as little as 10 cents, making it possible to connect nearly everything to the internet.

The IoT was initially most interesting to business and manufacturing, where its application is sometimes known as machine-to-machine (M2M), but the emphasis is now on filling our homes and offices with smart devices, transforming it into something that’s relevant to almost everyone.

Early suggestions for internet-connected devices included ‘blogjects’ (objects that blog and record data about themselves to the internet), ubiquitous computing (or ‘ubicomp’), invisible computing, and pervasive computing. However, it was Internet of Things and IoT that stuck.

The age long exploration

Drilling holes is the universally accepted means to find ore bodies (and other minerals), so much so that some have nicknamed the drill a ‘truth machine’. Whatever the stage of exploration, the drilling life cycle is a critical element of the decision making process.

The interpretation of data generated from drill samples helps miners validate or update an ore body model and ultimately make a decision on how to proceed…often drilling another hole!

How can the miners benefit?

Historically this life cycle of obtaining and interpreting accurate data has been an inefficient and time consuming process and in IMDEX’s Global Manager for Integrated Solutions Michelle Carey’s view this is a key driver behind adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) or Industry 4.0 to help improve the quality of data being delivered to geoscientists and in turn guide real-time decision making.

“There are a lot of facets driving the digital imperative within global minerals exploration; however, a big one is supplying geologists with information in a timely manner to allow them to make good decisions.

“Geologists routinely have to make a decision to keep drilling or stop holes – if they get it wrong money is wasted or worse, a major discovery is missed. In the past these vital decisions had to be made solely by looking at the rock, now sensors can provide data in real-time to allow decision makers anywhere in the world to make that call.”

The minerals exploration industry, however, has not been swift in its adoption of these technologies – hampered by human nature’s resistance to change, access to communications in remote areas and the need for greater collaboration between multiple sensor suppliers, database providers and interpretative software providers in order to give geologists the full end-to-end solution.

Fortunately these hurdles appear to be getting smaller and the IoT within the minerals exploration industry is gaining acceptance and momentum. In most other facets of our lives we have become accustomed to instant forms of communication or accessing information – so it is only a matter of time before waiting days or weeks for accurate geological data feels like ‘snail mail’ versus Instant Messaging!

IMDEX’s Global Product Manager Geosciences, James Cleverly, according to MiningNews.net said the connected digital world is about providing accurate information to make decisions.

It is also the connection of smart systems and the automation of workflows, in near real-time to make an impact on productivity and the way we work.

“Drilling is not about the act of making a hole alone, we drill to take a sample. We sample to make a measurement. This data is turned into the information that supports a decision about the geological model – the decision about what to do next.”

Future of the Geo-Scientist

Cleverley added that, “As a geoscientist running a drilling programme you will be up and running with your own on-site lab, producing consistent and quality samples, managing the analysis and quality control and having confidence the data you are viewing is accurate – benefiting from a coherent workflow from the sample preparation to data analysis, all driven by a rapid near real-time connected system.

“Such a system will also give geoscientists more time to act on decisions, removing the burden of administration including data management, controlling data flow and quality assurance processes.

“Indeed, the future of graduate geoscientists will expand from fundamental geological knowledge to a stronger framework of numeracy and pure science.”

IoT is the way and it should be embraced in mining explorations to enhance productivity and reduce time and money wasted.

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