Aggregates and Mining Today

VEGA Americas, Inc.
Booth: S82207

Today’s mines use technology to automate many processes and consequently, make things much safer and more efficient. VEGA, a global manufacturer of sensors for measuring level, point level, pressure, has been around for a little more than 60 years, and in that small span of time, the company’s innovative instrumentation has played an integral part in revolutionizing how both large and small mining companies operate today.

The technologies VEGA uses in the mining industry vary, but perceptive eyes will notice three main technologies over and over again: radar, pressure, and radiometric. Each of these can be found in a number of applications within a single mining operation anywhere in the world – whether its precious metals, minerals, or aggregates.

Radar: VEGA’s specialty

The VEGAPULS 6X is VEGA’s radar sensor that doesn’t care if it’s measuring liquids or bulk solids. With VEGAPULS 6X you get a sensor that can handle any application, no matter if the medium to be measured is liquid, solid, hot, cold, hazardous or corrosive. It combines the best of the previous 80 GHz, 26 GHz and 6 GHz sensors, such as VEGAPULS 64 and VEGAPULS 69, in one device. This makes it the ideal non-contact level measurement solution for any mining application where solid materials or products are being stored in a silo or heap and in applications processing raw materials.

VEGA’s 80 GHz frequency provides a number of benefits, including being able to “ignore” any dust floating in the air above the actual level inside any vessel. The higher frequency also provides a more focused signal, so operators can aim the radar to avoid internal structures that would otherwise disrupt the signal and cause a measurement error. Plus, radar signals aren’t affected by outside noises like some other non-contact level measurement technologies.

Manufacturing pressure sensors that last

Pressure is a widely used measurement for process control in a number of industries, and mining is no exception. By comparison, pressure is old technology, but that just means it’s had more time to innovate and improve. The VEGABAR series of pressure transmitters from VEGA is proof of this innovation. Today’s pressure transmitters are more durable, which allows them to last longer in harsh environments.

VEGA uses ceramic measuring cells for its pressure sensors in mining applications. Ceramic is abrasion-resistant by nature and ten times harder than stainless steel. This extra strength makes pressure sensors with ceramic cells better-equipped to withstand the harsh environments found in so many applications at a mining operation.

Measuring the movement of material

Moving solids in a slurry mixture is a common method for mines to move materials from one process to the next. Measuring the amount of solids in the slurry is vital to maximize throughput and minimize downtime due to blockages. VEGA’s MINITRAC 31 achieves this with a non-intrusive density measurement using radiometric technology. The density measurement is used to infer the percentage of solids inside the pipe, giving operators a better idea of how much material is moving through their operation at any given time.

Improving mining operations through technology

VEGA uses three key technologies to provide measurement solutions for some of mining’s toughest applications. As long as mines are digging materials out of the ground to provide the raw materials the rest of the world needs, VEGA will continue to deliver innovative radar, pressure, and radiometric sensors to make mines safer and more efficient.