By Simon Johanson
Publication Date: 2026-01-05 00:00:00
The company leveraged its existing CCTV system and used computer vision to build a real-time spill detection model. When a pressure surge is detected, the system stops loading a train and raises the chute – all in less than half a second.
“(We) have an AI agent that watches the video in real time and can quickly identify objects that could either tear a conveyor belt or block a crusher,” van Jaarsveld said.
Load
“An alert goes to the control room, the item is removed and then the process continues. That’s a much better outcome than a conveyor belt breaking. Then you’re out of service for six hours.”
Cameras are also installed on some loaders that fill the monster trucks that transport the ore from the pits to the conveyor belt or crusher. They can detect oversized rocks when loading and alert the driver to dump the contents elsewhere to avoid obstructing the system.
Van Jaarsveld estimates that avoiding downtime caused by clogged crushers or damaged conveyors can save up to 1…
