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Newcrest unleashes collision avoidance technology across operations

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Newcrest Mining is rolling out proximity detection technology across its wider operations after successfully deploying it at the Telfer gold open pit in Western Australia 12 months ago.

GE Mining collision avoidance system (CAS) provides equipment operators real-time awareness of their proximity to people or other infrastructure, and has since reduced vehicle-to-vehicle collisions at Telfer by 33 per cent.

The same system was set to become fully operational at Lihir, Papua New Guinea this month.

Newcrest’s Cadia surface operations has also awarded GE Mining a contract to roll out CAS on its surface fleet, which will go live in January next year.

The miner said in its 2018 sustainability report, “Given the anticipated automation and tele-remote system program of works at Cadia, the business has adjusted the criteria for its proximity detection solution and is expected to award a contract soon.”

Meanwhile, Newcrest’s underground operations, Telfer and Gosowong, have awarded contracts to Newtrax to deploy Mineprox on their mobile mining fleets.

Aside from increasing safety, the technology reduces cost of lost production and equipment damage caused by collisions and rollovers.

The technology was fitted to equipment at Telfer following incidents involving collisions or near misses at Newcrest’s operations. It helps equipment operators to react accordingly with audible tones, voice prompts and visualisations.

The underground system uses a combination of low-frequency electromagnetic transmitters and receivers that penetrate the strata when GPS signals don’t penetrate the earth’s crust. It can cut power to the engine and apply brakes when an operator fails to react.

Newcrest said, “The technology brings Newcrest into line with other major mining groups.”

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