The first AGS systems were tested at Hudson Bay’s Flin-Flon Mine in Manitoba in 2010 on a CAT R1700 loader.
The first two production AGS systems were installed at Newmont’s Waihi Mine in New Zealand in 2011 on CAT R1700 loaders and they are still working well.
Four systems have been installed and are working well at two different St. Barbara’s mines in Australia on CAT R2900 loaders.
Four AGS systems will be installed at Newmont’s Midas Mine in Nevada at the end of September 2012 on Sandvik LH204 loaders.
These systems include full AGS which means the operator selects the area of the mine he wants, selects the desired route and then moves the tramming joystick forward or reverse to launch the loader.
After that the loader automatically trams from the Start point to the Stope and when it arrives the operator takes control to load the bucket. When the bucket has been loaded the operator launches the loader which automatically trams to the Stockpile and when it arrives the operator takes control and empties the bucket.
The operator launches the loader again which automatically trams from the Stockpile to the Stope and the next cycle begins. After a few weeks or months when the Stope has been emptied the operator can select a new Stope and a new tramming route. It only takes about five minutes for a trained (non-technical) person to enter a new AGS route. No lap-top or any other equipment is required to do this, just the usual Control-Chair switches.
AGS Teleremote System
