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Mining Technology Partners Podcast

Episode 6 – Project VAMOS with Edine Bakker, La Palma Institute

On today´s Episode 6 we have Edine Bakker of the La Palma Research Centre in Spain talking about project VAMOS, the Viable Alternative Mine Operating System. VAMOS will enable access to mineral deposits and reserves in greater depths using a robotics system for clean, low visibility underwater mining with limited environmental impact. Currently unreachable mineral deposits will soon be accessible.

VAMOS is an EU-funded project that is developing equipment for underwater mining of inland deposits. It is a new method for safe, clean, and low-impact mining and has the potential to reopen abandoned mines, extend existing open-pit mines and open new mines, with the ultimate aim of reducing the EU’s reliance on mineral raw material imports.

Economical benefits:

  • Lower stripping ratio achievable: less waste material
  • No need for dewatering
  • Primary crushing costs removed: material already crushed to <50 mm
  • Readily road transportable modular system
  • Cheaper alternative to underground conversion

Environmental benefits:

  • No mine dust
  • No blasting vibrations
  • No fleet operation noise
  • Lower safety risks
  • Lower risk of spillage
  • Lower surface footprint
  • No aquifer draw-down and associated risks for adjacent wetlands or pasture

Lower energy usage:

  • Less waste rock to be removed
  • No dewatering pumps
  • Ore transport in suspension –
    lower energy requirements due to hydrostatic effects
  • Powered by electricity – Lower carbon footprint


https://miningtechnologypartners.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/30SecondVideo.mp4

Video Animation: VAMOS in action

Parties interested in a feasibility study for their deposit can contact the Technical Manager, Stef Kapusniak +44 7813 606339/ stef.kapusniak@smd.co.uk , who will be happy to discuss suitability or otherwise for their particular deposit. If a body is interested in a particular sub-assembly or part of the technology, Stef will direct them to the appropriate party in the consortium.

Interested organisations can join the ‘VAMOS – Sustainable Mining’ company page on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/¡vamos/ or follow @ProjectVAMOS on Twitter https://twitter.com/projectvamos/ to keep abreast of news updates and follow our progress via the events and news items on the project website.

http://vamos-project.eu and lapalmacentre.eu

Follow VAMOS on Twitter and LinkedIn

Project VAMOS has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 642477

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