Peruvian Caterpillar dealer Ferreyros recently said that it is continuing to consolidate its alliance with Minera Chinalco Peru SA as its strategic partner on the path towards the digitalisation of mining. The synergy between both organisations and the implementation of cutting-edge technology form an important part of the success of the new Integrated Operations Management (GIO) Center in Lima, which allows remote operational control of the Toromocho copper mine in Junin, over 150 km away.
In December, Chinalco stated: “With the start of operations of the GIO from our Lima office, we became the first mining company in the country to implement a centre of this type, integrating people, processes and technology in a single space for more timely, coordinated decision-making based on real-time information. The implementation of the GIO not only implies a technological or infrastructure change, but a cultural transformation that allows us to anticipate operational challenges, strengthen security and operate in a more integrated, collaborative and sustainable way.”
Ferreyros has provided much of the mining equipment for the mining operations. It includes Cat autonomous MD6640 electric drills using Caterpillar’s MineStar Command for Drilling technology. This was significant as it was the first deployment of Caterpillar autonomy for electric drills that has is remotely controlled from a remote operations centre, in this case the teleoperation station room of Chinalco Peru in Lima, to execute and supervise the autonomous drilling plan. The Cat MD6640 electric drills perform inline drilling autonomously. Toromocho is also operating Caterpillar D11T dozers remotely from Lima using Command for Dozing – which was another first for Peru. In the wider mining fleet, Toromocho operates both the mechanical drive Cat 797F but also a newer fleet of the diesel-electric drive 798 AC, plus the large 7495 Cat electric rope shovel as well as a range of other equipment.
Also in Peru, the Antapaccay copper mine, part of Glencore, recently began its fifth year of using the Cat IP integrated purchasing platform, which significantly speeds up the acquisition of Cat spare parts, which are of high importance in logistics management. This solution connects the enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems of the mining company and Ferreyros, and integrates key information for Cat parts management. Antapaccay is a major Caterpillar customer, including the 7495 rope shovel, 6060 excavator, 994 wheel loader plus 797F and 793D mining trucks amongst others.
The 24/7 digital management system includes access to an extensive interactive catalogue and information on availability and delivery times. The Antapaccay teams can place orders for Cat spare parts online in minimum times, automatically recording the operations in its systems; immediately checking the current availability of Cat parts and know their delivery times. Likewise, integrated purchases minimise interactions and physical documentation typical of the traditional process; they increase the accuracy of parts orders; and automate stages of the process.
For Antapaccay, this technological integration not only impacts the agility of its spare parts purchasing processes, but also represents an opportunity to add efficiency to its management, by contributing to a smoother operation and better informed decision-making for the maintenance of its mining equipment.
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