Mine.io

A Holistic Digital Mine 4.0 Ecosystem Mine.io

The project “A Holistic Digital Mine 4.0 Ecosystem” is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme – Project: 101091885 — Mine.io — HORIZON-CL4-2022-RESILIENCE-01.

DESCRIPTION OF ASSUMPTIONS:

In the context of industrialization, digitization, and sustainable development of the mining sector, the Mine.io solution will build an innovative digital mining ecosystem and a systematic structure for implementing Industry 4.0 in mining industrial environments. The Mine.io solution will encompass the entire mining value chain, from resource exploration, through extraction and processing, to waste management and post-mining activities. The core concept is to create a production system architecture operating in a cloud environment—an innovative mining ecosystem to be applied in the “production workshop” of a mining digital twin. Mine.io aims to systematize the key processes of the mining industry, which include:

• Assets
• equipment optimization processes (predictive analysis and optimization procedures fully based on data processing)
• integrated cyber-virtual and cyber-physical systems
• automation and robotization of exploration and extraction processes
• post-extraction management

The Mine.io ecosystem will be validated at various demonstration sites, including 4 active mines and 2 historical mines, across 5 EU countries. PROJECT OBJECTIVES:

• Building an open, digital, and advanced infrastructure as the foundation for the “hyper-connected business” platform for Mine 4.0
• Development of advanced, intelligent, integrated solutions with a low environmental impact to accelerate the sustainable discovery of strategic raw materials in Europe
• Advanced mobility, logistics, and supply chain operations
• Digitization of assets and process equipment
• Advancement in sustainable mining
• Demonstration and evaluation of Mine.io concepts and solutions at pilot installations with regional reach. Proof of feasibility (supported by evidence) of an innovative technological solution that supports the 4.0 transformation in the mining sector.
• Communicating and disseminating the scientific and technical results of the project, knowledge transfer, and market development through educational and training activities.

MAIN TASK: Artificial intelligence technology for monitoring and controlling metal ore processing
The module will focus on the development of AI-based technology for monitoring the metal ore flotation process. The Photonic-Information System (PIT) and flotation process monitoring software will be developed by Łukasiewicz – ITR, Łukasiewicz– EMAG, AGH, and tested at KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. PIT will capture, process, and analyze images of flotation froth. Using AI algorithms, it will determine the content of the monitored metal in the flotation froth. The set of image parameters will be constructed by specialized image processing software. For the machine learning (ML) process, training groups of flotation froth images will be recorded for different metal content in the froth. Image parameters calculated for each, along with information about the froth composition, will be processed by leading ML algorithms such as Discriminant Analysis (DA), Gradient Boosting, and/or Artificial Neural Network (ANN), to develop a classification algorithm. This algorithm will form the basis for an AI algorithm that will determine the metal content in the flotation froth. Based on this, an AI algorithm for monitoring the flotation process will be built. The PIT system will be connected to the flotation control system in the mineral processing plant, allowing for optimization of flotation process parameters, significantly improving cost efficiency and having a positive environmental impact.

PROJECT PARTNERS:

1. GFT ITALIA SRL (GFT),
2. TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET BERGAKADEMIE FREIBERG (TUB),
3. ACCELIGENCE LTD (ACC),
4. POLITECNICO DI TORINO (POLITO),
5. INSTITUTE OF COMMUNICATION AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS (ICCS),
6. FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION (TEC),
7. OULUN YLIOPISTO (UOULU), MUON SOLUTIONS OY (MUO),
8. LULEA TEKNISKA UNIVERSITET (LTU),
9. JOTNE EPM TECHNOLOGY AS (JOT),
10. INNOV-ACTS LIMITED (INN),
11. ELLINIKO MESOGEIAKO PANEPISTIMIO (HMU),
12. INESC TEC – INSTITUTO DE ENGENHARIADE SISTEMAS E COMPUTADORES,TECNOLOGIA E CIENCIA (INE),
13. WIGNER FIZIKAI KUTATOKOZPONT (WRCP),
14. ETAIREIA AXIOPOIISEOS KAI DIACHEIRISEOS TIS PERIOUSIAS TOU ETHNIKOU METSOVIOU POLYTECHNEIOU (E.M.P.) (AMDC),
15. Łukasiewicz Research Network – Tele and Radio Research Institute (Łukasiewicz — ITR),
16. Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Innovative Technologies EMAG (Łukasiewicz — EMAG),
17. The Stansiław Staszic AGH University of Krakow (AGH University)
18. ERZGEBIRGISCHE FLUSS-UNDSCHWERSPATWERKE GMBH (EFS),
19. FRONTIER KENTRO KAINOTOMIAS AMKE (FRON),
20. IPT TECHNOLOGY GMBH (IPT),
21. UNEXMIN GEOROBOTICS KORLATOLT FELELOSSEGU TARSASAG (UGR),
22. UNIVERSIDAD DE SALAMANCA (USAL),
23. KGHM POLSKA MIEDZ SA (KGHM),
24. FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV (Fraunhofer)

PROJECT BUDGET:
In the Mine.io project, the total amount of eligible costs is 14,028,326.25 euros, of which the grant amounts to 11,999,256.00 euros. The total project value for Łukasiewicz – EMAG is 294,750.00 euros, with 100% funding.

The project is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme.