Mining Autonomously and Across the World at Design Day 2023
Multiple elements of the mining industry saw advancement at the College of Engineering's 2023 Craig M. Berge Design Day. MGE students focused their Capstone Projects on everything from autonomous mine design to avoiding common pitfalls in mineral exploration.
Autonomous Mine Design
Team 23100, comprised entirely of MGE students, worked with Nevada Gold Mines to design and economically compare three case models for implementing autonomous haulage trucks into an operating mine environment. They then conducted a risk assessment analysis for safety and economic risks associated with the implementation of autonomous haulage.
Optimizing Geological Exploration in Uganda
Team 23101, a pair of MGE students, worked with Lundin Group to design and deploy a streamlined method for identifying new mineral resources in under-explored Uganda to avoid the current pitfalls of mineral exploration.
SME Metallic Mine Design Competition
Team 23102 designed and proposed a feasible mine design for a metallic mineral deposit based on real-world constraints provided by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration Metallic Mine Design Competition.
Railveyor
Team 23103 conducted a feasibility study involving the design of an open pit mine using the Railveyor conveyance system. Their goal was to determine if a conveyance system would serve as an economic and productive alternative to traditional haulage, or whether a combination of Railveyor and haul trucks could be more beneficial.