Liebherr used MINExpo 2024 to announce moves to benefit the mining sector, including a fuel viability study and an integrated portfolio of technologies.
IoMine technologies portfolio
IoMine is a portfolio of technology products designed to optimize day-to-day mining operations through the integration of various mining operations. The portfolio contains three product families: operate, automate, and maintain.
Liebherr has added several products to the portfolio, including Autonomous Haulage Solution, Machine Guidance System, Fleet Management System, and Remote Service.
“An integrated operations approach uses a connected ecosystem of technologies to optimize the load and haul cycle,” said Tristan Malec, general manager, digital technology products, in a statement. “Enhancing these processes improves both productivity and safety–two vital criteria for our customers.”
New to IoMine Operate
The IoMine Operate product family collects, analyze, and leverages data from connected machines to efficiently manage fleet activities, monitor performance, and improve decision-making in real time, according to Liebherr.
The Fleet Management System (FMS) integrates mining operations to boost productivity, optimize haulage assignments, and maximize fleet utilization. The FMS is also OEM-agnostic and delivers real-time, end-to-end monitoring for all connected assets to offer a strategic overview of onsite activities. Its integrated optimization engine eliminates uncertainty and variations, enabling automated reassignment and communication that keep mining operations running smoothly and onsite personnel informed.
The Machine Guidance System (MGS) can be integrated with the FMS or Autonomous Haulage Solution and will be offered as a standalone product. It delivers critical material information to minimize ore variability and dilution, improving overall performance. Designed for flexibility, the MGS can be installed on multiple brands of loading and pushing machines and offers high-precision accuracy as well as real-time material tracking.
New to IoMine Automate
IoMine’s Automate product family offers customers both fully and semi-autonomous solutions for their fleets. The Autonomous Haulage Solution (AHS) falls within this product family alongside Liebherr’s teleoperation system for its range of Generation 8 mining dozers, LiReCon. Liebherr has also expanded its comprehensive range of semi-autonomous assistance systems for its excavators and dozers.
The AHS combines advanced automation with real-time data insights to enhance productivity, safety, and efficiency. The system enables fully autonomous operation of Liebherr’s haul trucks, allowing for intelligent route optimization and seamless, reliable performance without manual intervention. Designed for future sustainability, the AHS is compatible with both diesel-electric and zero emission energy systems, integrating with the FMS to manage energy replenishment for zero emission trucks.
Liebherr Remote Control, more commonly known as LiReCon, is also a feature within the Automate product family. This teleoperations system allows operators to control Liebherr’s Generation 8 dozers from a safe distance outside of the pit, reducing their exposure to potential hazards on site. The latest update to LiReCon makes the teleoperation stand more compact and easier to transport.
New to IoMine Maintain
Remote Service is a suite of digital tools within IoMine’s Maintain product family designed to streamline the issue-resolution process for onsite personnel. Remote Service is comprised of three different tools: Troubleshoot Advisor, Content Delivery Portal, and XpertAssist. Each addresses different stages of issue resolution. Troubleshoot Advisor is a diagnostic tool that guides technicians through a detailed, step-by-step problem-identification process that can help speed up problem resolution. Content Delivery Portal houses Liebherr’s technical documentation for its machines, which operators can navigate with the user-friendly search functionality of the application, allowing them to easily find the information relevant to their situation. XpertAssist connects technicians to Liebherr experts for real-time assistance via live video support and other dynamic features available within the app for seamless conversations.
“We developed Remote Service after observing that approximately half of the technical inquiries we were receiving from customers could be solved remotely,” Malec said. “By providing a product that allowed this remote problem-solving to occur, we are able to save considerable time and money for our customers by empowering their technicians to resolve issues directly, therefore reducing downtime.”
Green ammonia feasibility study
Liebherr and Bruno Generators Group (BGG) will work together to investigate low-emission power generation with green ammonia as fuel.
Green ammonia is a hydrogen carrier that combines the advantages of lower transport and storage costs compared with compressed or liquified green hydrogen, according to Liebherr. Generators and off-board power units running on green ammonia could provide low or zero emission ways of supplementing power supplies on site.
Green ammonia generators could provide a reduced-emission method of alleviating energy variations or blackouts on site while mobile off-board power units running on green ammonia could power electric excavators just outside the pit, reducing both emissions and infrastructure requirements.
‘We’re thrilled to be working with BGG in this incredibly exciting project. Their innovative mindset and tracked development and delivery of low emission solutions are a perfect match for us as we work towards our zero emissions targets,’ says Oliver Weiss, executive vice president, R&D, engineering and production, Liebherr-Mining Equipment SAS.
“When our combustion engines business unit saw promising results from ammonia as a low- and zero-emission power source after multiple test bench runs, we were excited to see how we could capitalize on this to provide even more ways our customers can pursue zero emissions,” said Oliver Weiss, EVP, R&D, engineering and production, Liebherr-Mining Equipment.
‘We are very proud of partnering and joining forces with Liebherr Mining in this project. Together, we share a common vision with an uncompromised commitment to sustainability, and we strive to lead the industry in responsible practices,’ says
“This partnership represents an incredible milestone in our pursuit of sustainable solutions for the benefit of our customers in the mining segment,” said Renato Bruno, CEO, Bruno Generators Group. “Sharing and blending our respective expertise will further enhance and naturally boost our innovation mindset, accelerating our journey toward a net zero future.’
