The idea of entrusting mining work to remote controlled robots is certainly praiseworthy – if preprogrammed robots can bring stones and rocks from the Moon and other distant planets, there is no reason why robots cannot mine iron ore from the Australian mines.
The demand has arisen due to a spurt in requirements from China of iron-ore.
The Rio Tinto, one of the largest ore miners in the world, is already using driverless trucks to transport the ores. It now plans to extend the automation and run fully automated trains across its 1500-Km of network in the northwest of Australia by 2014.
The idea is to have driverless trains which would bring the ore from faraway locations.
The Rio Tinto expects to boost its output by 60% by 2015 with the help of such innovative automation.
The trains would be remotely controlled from a centralized location in Perth – it would be similar to controlling space modules. The adverse effects would be felt by the 500-odd train drivers who would lose their jobs to technology.
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