Road Management

Maintaining safe and well-designed road infrastructure in mining areas is a significant challenge due to various weather conditions and geologies. Furthermore, massive weights must be moved over roadways that were never intended to be permanent. Frequent repairs and maintenance are required to prevent, or predict, road deterioration and keep mining operations undisrupted.

Meanwhile, controlling dust emissions and any runoff into local waterways are examples of ESG considerations that directly impact investment prospects and maintaining a social license to operate. This is the case whether the operation is young or approaching its reclamation phases. Safety considerations include road widths, pinch points, inclinations, drainage, safety berms, as well as lighting and signage.

Coordinating the movement of various types of vehicles, including haul trucks, graders, excavators, dozers, light vehicles, explosives trucks, water trucks, lowboys, etc. adds additional complexity when designing or maintaining this infrastructure.

Key Client Challenges:

1. How can we improve road maintenance practices to extend the lifespan of our mining roads?
2. What are the most cost-effective strategies for dust control on our mining roads, and how can we minimize environmental impacts?
3. Are there advanced technologies, such as real-time monitoring or automation, that can enhance road management and safety?
4. How can we optimize traffic flow and reduce congestion on our mining roads?
5. What are the best practices for designing mining roads to accommodate heavy loads and ensure safety?
6. What data should we be collecting about road conditions and equipment performance, and how can we use this data for predictive maintenance?
7. How can we reduce the environmental impact of our road construction and maintenance activities, and what are the regulatory requirements we need to consider?

By implementing real-time monitoring systems, including GPS, sensors, and telematics, mining companies can begin to track vehicle locations, monitor road conditions, and gather data for predictive maintenance. Analyzing data collected from road conditions and equipment usage can also help predict maintenance needs, minimizing downtime and reducing long-term repair costs.

However, building and maintaining roads can be expensive. Balancing the need for road quality and safety with cost-effectiveness is a continual challenge that will require constant evaluation and relying on data to lead decision-making.

While data analytics tools and sensors can significantly benefit road management processes, it is only the first step. At Unison Mining, our experts can assist your team to implement the processes, management control systems and performance metrics needed to drive full adoption of data analytics tools – ensuring employees are fully onboard with new ways of working that are essential to drive these technologies.