Global Road Technology using SMART automation to lead the battle against dust pollution

Press Release: June 28, 2022

Dust control specialists Global Road Technology (GRT) are making automation a key component in their efforts to assist the mining industry in reducing the air pollution caused by their activities.

In support of this effort it’s launching its Sustainable, Mining, Autonomously, Reporting Technology (SMART) Dosing Units as the key hardware component of GRT’s industry-leading dust suppression systems that offer the most effective haul road management and dust control solution in the sector. 

Designed and assembled by GRT’s engineers, these Australian Made SMART Dosing Units consist of a central control and communication module combined with electrical and mechanical hardware that provides the ability to remotely control and automate product dosage, error detection, and flow rates – using the Internet of Things (IoT) technology. 

According to GRT Managing Director Troy Adams, this investment in automation is intended to provide resource companies with a turnkey dust control solution intended to protect onsite workers and communities located nearby. 

“Our products are designed to provide resource companies the ability to stop the spread of dust particles generated by mining activity and the SMART Dosing Units take it to the next level by using data and automation to improve dust control outcomes,” said Mr Adams. 

“GRT’s dosing units utilise 5G, satellite, or radio technology to allow for remote management and communication between units to ensure the correct amounts are distributed across the site minimising wastage and maximising efficacy. We have designed products like GRT: Haul-Loc and GRT: Activate that dovetail into these autonomous systems, to deliver effective dust control, and provide critical data currently missing onsite.”

As an international, engineering technology company focussing on providing innovative products and solutions for the mining, civil, agricultural, resources, land development, and environmental management sectors, GRT is investing significantly in R&D and innovation to continue its growth as a leader in the dust control industry.

Its specialisations in dust control, soil stabilisation, erosion control, and water management and investments in innovation have helped to build its reputation as a global leader in dust suppression and reducing dust pollution caused by mining and construction activity. 

Its investment in cutting-edge technology assists GRT in resolving issues caused by traditional methods of dust suppression in that these techniques rely on using solely water to capture particulates and are quite ineffective due to the respective properties of the two particles – resulting in them repelling each other like two positive ends of a magnet. 

GRT is releasing this at a time when the legislative environment across Australia and rising global awareness about the harm caused by dust pollution are combining with community pressure. This is placing airborne dust pollution and dust-related lung disease firmly on the agenda of major mining companies as pressure grows for them to showcase how they are proactively reducing its onsite spread. 

For Troy Adams, the most critical point of difference with its SMART Dosing Units is the use of technology to help them effectively deal with the issue of airborne dust.

“In addition to accurately dosing our dust control products, our latest SMART Dosing Units include telemetry which acts as a data hub and allows for direct reporting, tracking, and control of dosing, with a user-friendly app interface,” Mr Adams said. 

“This powerful data includes water consumption, water truck operational efficiency, water truck efficiencies, product levels, dosage rates and the overall working effectiveness of the supporting apparatus (incl. pumps and power units) used to provide these services. This offering is designed to replace traditional water-based methods or outdated dust control chemicals employed by miners to manage mining dust – for us the SMART product suite further showcases where we can go as a sector.”

Source: AustralianMining