The mining industry is a significant contributor to Australia’s overall economy. It’s a sector that employs thousands of the country’s citizens, not to mention the amount of travellers it draws in who are looking for a way to make a decent salary as well as spend a year in this magnificent country. Australia is famous for its outback, beautiful beaches, stunning city skylines and high quality of life, and mining stands to continue being a lucrative industry for many years to come.
Some people automatically think of danger when they hear the word mining. Many countries import almost all of their resources, and that’s made mining all but a thing of the past for some. Needless to say, it used to be an extremely risky business, but nowadays, things are a lot safer thanks to advances in modern equipment.
There was once a time when people were basically forced into working in the mines just to make enough money to survive. However, jobs in the mining industry nowadays are well sought after because people don’t worry so much about the risks as they’ve largely been eliminated. Of course, health and safety laws, rules, and procedures, have made a huge impact with regards to minimising the risks associated with mining, but modern equipment has certainly contributed, and it’s also made the job so much easier.
Diamond blades have made cutting through tough and abrasive materials simple, and nobody would’ve thought that was possible not so long ago. There is also heavy machinery such as excavators, diggers, cranes and an abundance of other equipment that has made mining much simpler and safer, and that has to be just one reason why Australia’s mining industry is so lucrative.
In addition to diamond blades, there are many other modern tools that are commonly used in mines, including:
- Underground equipment – This refers to the tools that are actually used once a mine is hollowed out, and some of these tools include the likes of roof bolters, underground rails, ventilation fans, rock dusters, scoops, shuttle cars and personnel vehicles. Needless to say, that is a far from exhaustive list.
- Surface mining equipment – Of course, for mining to be a success, there have to be ways to extract minerals and substances safely, and the tools used to do just that include draglines, shovels, haul trucks, blast hole drills, graders, loaders and dozers. Long gone are the days when people were required to do every aspect of the job thanks to modern advancements.
- Transportation and preparation tools – Companies in the mining industry have to make a profit, and that means they need to transport what they mine to other businesses. The tools and equipment used for this kind of thing include railroads, trucks, conveyors, barges and ships.
It’s actually quite amazing just how much technology and modern tools have helped the mining industry, and they’re a large part of the reason as to why injuries are minimal. It will be interesting to see what future advancements make mining even more efficient.