Lighting the way in mining
- Installed advanced LED lights on the excavator and supporting dozer for night operations at Burton Mine in North Queensland
- Improved productivity as lights were not needing to be continuously relocated
- Providing a triple bottom line result – safer work place, emission reductions and cost savings
Mining is a 24-hour operation, which means that about half of the activity occurs in the dark. Accurate mining therefore requires good lighting levels, both in terms of intensity and position.
Traditionally, this lighting is supplied by diesel-powered mobile lighting plants strategically located to illuminate the work area. The progressive nature of mining inevitably means that the lights are not continuously located in the right areas and there is a need to regularly relocate the lights.
The new generation of small, high-intensity LED lights means there are far more options available for lighting systems and a trial has been progressing at our Burton Mine in north Queensland to install the lights on the actual machinery that requires it –the excavator and supporting dozer.
This really is the triple bottom line project – it delivers a safer workplace, environmental benefits from a significant reduction in fuel use through less lighting plants and the associated support vehicles, and cost efficiencies through reduced lighting plant costs and improved productivity.
