The Economics Of Measuring Volumetric Loads Accurately For The Mining Industry

The mining industry is all about shifting the maximum amount of materials from one place to another efficiently. It is essential to get an accurate measurement of each load to increase revenue. When it comes to accurate measurement, there is a vast difference in traditional and modern approaches.

Weighing a load and converting it to volume, counting loader buckets, or counting loads are all traditional methods of determining haulage volume, which involves lots of guesswork, mainly resulting in an inaccurate measurement and financial loss.

If you still rely on a traditional method and it’s unavoidable – as the weight can vary according to moisture content and there is a high chance of human error.
There are so many small variations that could possibly change the weight or volume of the materials. However, these cannot be detected without the right methods.

However, thanks to new technology – volumetric scanning has become the new definition of accurate measurements in Mining and rail sectors. With a combination of several new design elements, software updates and scanning specifications, we can now use a revolutionary measurement system – Volumetric Scanning.

The system works by comparing an empty tray against a loaded tray to compute the load volume. The truck needs to pass below the scan head, and the laser scanners start measuring the load volume, finally providing an accurate and detailed data analysis.

Measuring weight accurately is the most crucial factors for the mining industry; it has a significant impact on various areas like:

• Inventory tracking
• Cost control
• Operational efficiency
• Quality assurance and more

It also ensures that the loaded weight is legal according to states law, along with details of incoming and outgoing materials and a reduction in wastage.

Volumetric scanning is becoming more common in the Mining sector, and it has been a great help to understand the volume of the materials from the ground, irrespective of its weight. This new technology also ensures the loads are evenly distributed in a tray which helps to avoid the risk of overloading.

There have been many cases where a load has not been measured correctly leading to truck or road damage, a fine for overloading and loss of materials —not just overloading, but sometimes even under loading becomes a loss, by increasing the transportation cost. Now with the help of a volumetric scanner, you can 100% be sure your truck is loaded precisely – neither overloading nor under loading. Even in extreme environmental conditions, the accuracy and reliability of the scanner remain unaffected.

You won’t need to hire additional staff just for weighting the loads, which is an additional cost benefit that volumetric scanners offer. A single operator can run this automated weighing system smoothly without any hassle.