On July 24, during the “Second National Green Mine Intelligent Mineral Processing Technology Summit Forum”, many industry experts, mining entrepreneurs and representatives from scientific research institutions visited the open-pit mining intelligent control center of Xichang Mine of Chongqing Iron and Steel Mining.
With an unmanned electric mining truck as the core and an intelligent mining system integrating remote-controlled electric shovels and remote drilling rigs, the center has achieved comprehensive intelligence in mining operations, marking a landmark step in the digital transformation process of the Xichang Mine of Chongqing Iron and Steel Mining.
Use unmanned technology to break the situation and promote systemic change.
In March this year, the intelligent control center was officially completed and put into operation, integrating big data, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, 5G and other cutting-edge technologies to create a sample case for the digitalization and intelligent upgrading of China’s mining industry.
In order to accelerate the construction of digital smart mines, Chongqing Xichang Mining has introduced the unmanned mining truck technology of Yikong Zhijia Technology Co., Ltd. to improve operating efficiency and safety.
In 2025, the first batch of six unmanned electric mining trucks will be fully put into production. This unmanned mining truck fleet is also the only unmanned transportation project in the industry that realizes the full-process operation of “mixed loading + mixed travel + mixed unloading” mining and transportation.
Using unmanned driving as a breakthrough, Chongqing Mining Xichang Mine has promoted systemic changes and built a comprehensive intelligent mining system of remote electric shovels + remote drilling rigs + unmanned mining trucks.
On the large control screen of the intelligent mining center, equipment operating parameters, transportation trajectories and other conditions are clear at a glance.
Staff do not need to go deep into the mining operation site. They can monitor the real-time operation of the unmanned mining truck at the control center, and remotely control equipment such as electric shovels and drilling rigs.
This kind of unmanned operation is not a simple “machine substitution”, but the penetration of intelligence into every aspect of production management, allowing mining operations to operate efficiently in fully closed-loop intelligent management and control, and safeguarding the green transformation and safety upgrade of the mining industry.
“External brain” empowerment stimulates new productivity in mines.
The empowerment of technology has reshaped mine productivity.
At present, the first batch of six unmanned electric mining trucks have entered the stable operation stage, achieving all-weather operation in three shifts: day, noon and night.
Data shows that since it was put into use, the unmanned electric mining truck bicycle has run more than 360,000 ton-kilometers, maintaining a “zero accident” record throughout the entire process; running an average of 180 vehicles per day, with a single-day turnover of 25,000 ton-kilometers, undertaking 65% of the raw ore supply tasks, and becoming the backbone of mine production.
In view of the good use effect of the first batch of unmanned mining trucks, Chongqing Mining Xichang Mine plans to increase the number of unmanned mining trucks to 18 units in 2026. Starting from the unmanned mining trucks, it will gradually extend to a full range of equipment such as unmanned electric shovels and unmanned drilling rigs to build a more complete intelligent mining ecosystem.
Liu Dongyang, deputy director of the Xichang Mining Equipment Engineering Department of Chongqing Iron and Steel Mining, said that in the construction of smart mines, the company is guided by the four modernizations of Baowu Group’s “high-end, intelligent, green, and efficient” and focuses on the five dimensions of “safety, green, smart, efficient, and sustainable”. It innovatively builds a new system of mining smart architecture with driverless electric mining trucks as the core, achieving normalized operation of driverless and remote control of mining equipment in complex mining scenarios.
The “smart change” transformation practice of Chongqing Iron and Steel Mining Xichang Mine clearly outlines a path for the upgrading of traditional heavy industry – using big data, artificial intelligence and the deep integration of the mining industry to open up a green, safe and efficient new track.
