The mining industry is quick to adopt formulaic methodology, but technology can take a little longer to stick. Five years ago, mines were increasingly installing private LTE networks to bring connectivity to their sites. Today that level of connectivity is an absolute requirement for mines that want to deploy autonomous fleets and other digital advancements related to safety.
Companies like Hexagon are continually challenged not to just innovate, but to ensure systems work together appropriately. The company has embraced that challenge since launching its mining business 10 years ago.
SAFEmine with its collision avoidance system was among the first acquisitions, followed soon after by the acquisition of fatigue monitoring specialists, Guardvant. Hexagon’s subsequent development of systems for operator alertness, personnel protection and vehicle intervention means customers can see issues not seen when using siloed solutions.
For example, in 2025, Hexagon’s Operator Alertness System (OAS) through its camera will capture events from Hexagon’s Collision Avoidance System (CAS), providing contextual information that will help operators understand the causes of potential interactions.
According to GlobalData’s 2024 mine site survey, 40% of mines plan to invest in collision avoidance technology within the next two years and 37% of mine operators expect to invest in fatigue detection technology over the same period – further evidence that once something is proven, the industry adopts quickly.
Regulatory groups like South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) adopt the language of industry non-profits, such as the safety-by-design group, EMESRT (Earth Moving Equipment Safety Round Table) with its nine levels of safety.
When Tier 1 operators decide to equip their fleets to meet EMESRT’s Level 7, Level 8 and Level 9 incident-control measures, it’s not just because the technology is there, it’s because the technology is effective.
Ultimately, smart companies understand that a safe mine is a profitable mine.
The journey through layered mine safety systems
EMERST’S nine levels of safety comprise requirements for design, operation and reaction, spanning site rules and segregation controls (Levels 1 and 2), fitness to operate (Level 5) and intervention controls (Level 9).
Navigating the journey from Level 1 to Level 9 is key to understanding why mine safety demands more than just technology or systems. It’s why Hexagon recommends against adopting Level 9 technology, such as its Vehicle Intervention System (VIS), without first building an understanding of Level 7 and Level 8 systems.
Technology is just one layer of mine safety. Change management and data insights are also important layers. Neither CAS nor OAS stand alone as 100% effective. Even when both solutions are combined operators must still be engaged and re-engaged in a cycle of continuous improvement. That’s the power of safety layers and navigating the EMERST levels as a cyclical process.
Autonomy in mining is more than just deploying the latest sensors and machine learning algorithms. It’s about orchestrating the fleet and understanding the broader mission and daily production goal. Each truck’s payload, its interaction with other equipment, and its ultimate destination are all critical. Hexagon solutions for safety, productivity and autonomy help ensure that every truck arrives at the right place, at the right time, with the right payload.
Mines more connected and protected in 2025
The recent acquisition of indurad and its autonomous haulage subsidiary, xtonomy, marked a significant step towards realising Hexagon’s vision of fully connected and integrated mine workflows. indurad’s unique offering of 1D, 2D, and 3D Radars and RTLS solutions expands Hexagon’s solutions in collision avoidance, positioning, digitalization, process optimization and automation. indurad’s proven ability to understand unique problems that customers are trying to solve from pit to port, complemented with its radar expertise, enables digital twins that are otherwise next to impossible to achieve with other sensors.
The indurad acquisition is part of a greater safety journey Hexagon is on with its customers. The company begins 2025 with 65,000 collision avoidance systems deployed in more than 100 open-pit and underground mine sites worldwide, the largest global install base on the market. Customers can expect an integrated safety ecosystem of solutions that unify collision avoidance, operator alertness and intervention systems.
Beyond this cohesive safety and productivity platform is a mission-centric approach to autonomy that ensures that vehicles don’t just operate safely but contribute to optimised production by managing payloads, traffic rules and destination timing. Hexagon solutions are OEM-agnostic, flexible enough to adapt to mixed fleets and varied site conditions while maintaining consistent safety and productivity standards.
In future blogs we’ll explore how these solutions are making a real difference at customer sites.
Throughout 2025 we’ll be blogging about the challenges facing the mining industry. Drawing upon insights from thought leaders in our customer community and from within Hexagon, we’ll share how trusted partnerships and proven technology are addressing those challenges, helping to improve safety and cut costs while balancing the demands of productivity and sustainability.