SUM – Sustainable Underground Mining | LKAB Passed
Thursday June 3, 2021 09:00 - 12:00 Sustainable mines | hosted by Svemin
Speaker: Michael Lowther
Moderator: Maria Sunér
Theme: Sustainable mines
LKAB has initiated an industrial development project together with ABB, Epiroc, Combitech and Sandvik with the aim of setting a new world standard for sustainable mining at great depths. Together with our four partners, we are building a test-bed where new technology will be developed and tested in real mining environments as well as in a virtual test mine.
The SUM project is now almost three years old and has entering a very exciting phase.
Development of the Konsuln test-mine is complete, and production has started on the first new level (436L).
This presentation will describe the ongoing activity in the test-mine, the development of the Mine Operations Control (MOC), and the status in the four sub-projects:
- mine layout and technology
- battery electric and autonomous machines
- control systems
- Our way of work and the interface between humans and technology.
Lecturers
Michael Lowther SpeakerExhibitor
Test-Mine Manager
LKAB
Michael Lowther was manager of LKAB’s Konsuln test-mine during its development phase Q4 2018 to Q1 2021, and is a member of the Operational Steering Group for the SUM project in LKAB. He gained his BSc in Geology from Queen’s University Belfast, and MSc in Mineral Exploration and Mining Geology from the University of Leicester. His expertise is mine geology, mine management, and mine rescue. He is a registered Professional Geologist (Institute of Geologists of Ireland) and a registered European Geologist, a member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (UK), and a Chartered Engineer (UK Engineering Council).
He has worked in two European-funded research projects, the most recent being Real-Time Mining (in Horizon 2020). He is a Council member of the Irish Mining and Quarrying Society, and Chairman of the Irish Mine Rescue Committee.
Prior to joining LKAB in 2018 Michael was manager of mining at Boliden’s Tara Mine in Ireland.
Maria Sunér Moderator
CEO
Svemin
Maria Sunér is the CEO of Svemin, the Swedish Association for Mines, Mineral and Metal Producers. Ms Sunér has a profound background from the business sector, and has held several positions at the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, as well as for the Swedish Association of Energy producers. She has also worked for the Worldbank and Eon. Ms Sunér is a honorary member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Engineering, and a vice chair of the Energy and Environment Committee for Business at the OECD.