MMG is a global mining company producing copper, zinc and other base metals and precious metal byproducts that underpin modern life, economic growth and the transition to a lower-carbon future. MMG’s operations span Africa, the Americas and Australia, where its operations include the Dugald River zinc-lead-silver mine in northwest Queensland.
The company, which is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, employs thousands of people globally across its mine sites and corporate offices. All share MMG’s commitment to creating enduring value through responsible mining, aligned with its core values of integrity, accountability, and a drive for continuous improvement.
The challenges
As the production of zinc and lead concentrate scaled at Dugald River Mine, so too did the complexity of managing logistics. There was no existing system to provide real-time visibility over daily production, stock levels at the mine and port stockyards, container locations throughout the supply chain and product quality data matched to individual containers. As a result, rehandling requirements increased, throughput was constrained and quality assurance relied on manual processes.
Solution
Following extensive research into available tracking technologies and after vetting proposals from multiple vendors, it was determined that RFID was best suited to deliver the desired tangible operating benefits, including improved throughput, quality control and container yard efficiency. It could also address the logistical gaps that were constraining production performance.Â
Ramp RFID Solutions was chosen to design and deliver the solution. The HID EXO 750 RFID tag was selected for its proven performance in harsh industrial environments, reliable performance on metal containers and ability to continue operating on mobile equipment that was subject to constant physical stress.
“The HID tag met the design criteria MMG and Ramp established for the solution, including robustness, read reliability in electrically noisy environments, and suitability for outdoor use across mine and port operations,” said Winks.
The solution was integrated with MMG’s existing Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for sampling data, and with weight scales at key read points to capture container fill weights. HID RFID tags were fitted to all containers, fixed read stations were installed at the mine, rail siding and port, and mobile RFID readers were mounted on container handling equipment and road trains.
The integration allowed sample data to be automatically matched to tagged containers, providing end-to-end traceability of concentrate from production through to vessel loading. Significant onsite trials were performed prior to full deployment to confirm operational performance in the challenging environment.Â
The broader system was designed to be as passive as possible from a user perspective, with RFID tags read automatically as containers pass through read points, requiring minimal manual interaction.
“The HID EXO 750 tags performed as required from the outset. The hardware proved to be virtually bulletproof, with not a single issue to date under the harsh operating conditions at Dugald River. This reliability was central to the overall solution’s success, as unreliable tags would have undermined the read rates required for accurate container tracking across all points in the supply chain,” said Winks.
“The HID EXO 750 tags performed as required from the outset. The hardware proved to be virtually bulletproof, with not a single issue to date under the harsh operating conditions at Dugald River.”
Brad Winks, Senior Technology Consultant and Project Manager, MMG
The result
The initial focus was on establishing core tracking capability: real-time container location, production monitoring and quality data linkage. This created the platform for further improvements, including expanding the system to support contractor management by integrating contractors into the logistics supply chain, which was implemented following the success of the core deployment.
The solution delivered four measurable areas of improvement:
• Accurate monitoring. Real-time visibility over daily concentrate production volumes, stock levels at the mine and port stockyards, and the location of the full container fleet.
• Improved efficiency. Cost-effective management of the container yard with minimal rehandling, maximizing throughput and reducing the impact of limited yard space.
• Quality assurance. Automated matching of LIMS sample data and fill weights to individual containers, ensuring production and delivery meet minimum product quality specifications.
• Reliability in harsh environments. There have been no tag failures since deployment, validating the design approach taken to address the mine’s environmental challenges.
The quality, timeliness and data reliability of the system — and durability of the HID tags — have allowed MMG to undertake improvement initiatives in parts of the logistics supply chain with tangible benefits. The system was later expanded to include contractor management for improved visibility and accountability.
Looking ahead, applications in asset tracking and operational monitoring are being assessed as the platform’s benefits become established across the site.
“Getting RFID to work reliably in challenging industrial environments is far more difficult than we originally thought, especially in areas with mobile equipment, large amounts of steel structures, and constraints on antenna mounting locations. The selection of proven, industrial-grade tag hardware from HID was a key factor in achieving the reliability outcomes the project required.“
Brad Winks, Senior Technology Consultant and Project Manager, MMG
