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illuMINEation --- Bright concepts for a safe and sustainable digital mining future

Project description

Industrial IoT platform for safe, sustainable and efficient mining operation

Europe urgently needs to reduce its import dependency in respect to a multitude of raw materials. In order to do so, Europe’s mining industry must completely redesign the process of traditional mining via the adoption of pioneering innovations, accompanied by extensive use of data analytics and new types of industrial IoT (IIoT). The EU-funded illuMINEation project will highlight significant aspects of digitalisation in underground mining activities with the aim of achieving highest possible levels of safety, environmental and economic performance. The project will establish a robust multi-level distributed IIoT platform based on large sensor networks featuring wireless communication capabilities. Advanced user interfaces, dashboards and AR/VR applications will allow for an optimised information flow. A rigorous cybersecurity approach will ensure that all data is properly protected.

Objective

The (European) mining industry is under great pressure due to a number of reasons, e.g. high number of injuries/fatalities and environmental accidents, bad reputation, low commodity prices, depleting resources and decreasing ore grades, etc. The only way to overcome these challenges is to completely “rethink” the process of traditional mining via progressively digitising mining operations and introducing ground-breaking innovations (e.g. remote controlled robots, autonomous drones, novel sensor systems, etc.), accompanied by the extensive use of data analytics and new forms of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). illuMINEation will illuminate important digitalization aspects in underground mining operations in order to achieve the next level of safety, environment and economic performance, and to retain and gain a social licence to operate. The project will develop a robust multi-level distributed IIoT platform (including cloud computing & distributed cloud management) that connects via wireless communication with the physical mining world, defined by massively installed low-cost all-embracing sensor networks. Advanced analytical algorithms will support the implementation of powerful, sophisticated automated control systems. Mobile user interfaces, dashboards, augmented and virtual reality as well as digital twins will be utilised for data visualisation and operational control. illuMINEation will ensure that all mining personnel receive the best possible information that the enormous amount of data has to offer, whilst ensuring all data is properly protected via a rigorous cyber security approach. The illuMINEation consortium provides the necessary resources and comprehensive skills and capabilities to operate across organizational boundaries with the aim to bring together the different parts of the entire digital mining business value chain and create cross-industry innovations.

Call for proposal

H2020-SC5-2018-2019-2020

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Sub call

H2020-SC5-2019-2

Coordinator

MONTANUNIVERSITAET LEOBEN
Net EU contribution
€ 1 101 000,00
Address
FRANZ JOSEF STRASSE 18
8700 Leoben
Austria

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Region
Südösterreich Steiermark Östliche Obersteiermark
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost
€ 1 101 000,00

Participants (21)