Reflections and applications on mine design under the trend of intelligence

Although the mining industry has laid a key resource foundation for socioeconomic development through its evolution from manual to mechanized and automated phases, it still grapples with persistent challenges including low production efficiency, insufficient resource intensification, and elevated safety risks. With the advancement of new-generation information technologies like big data, artificial intelligence, and 5G, intelligence has become a significant pathway for promoting the transformation and upgrading of the mining industry. This paper focuses on intelligent mine design methods, aiming to explore new approaches supported by these technologies to address key issues in traditional mining, such as production efficiency, energy consumption, and safety management, thereby advancing mine design toward intelligence, high efficiency, and intrinsic safety. A collaborative mechanism led by design institutes with the participation of mining enterprises is proposed for the design phase. Centered on mining technological processes, systematic planning is conducted, integrating technologies such as smart sensors, the Internet of Things, big data analytics, and remote centralized control to implement intelligent integrated design and transformation of key mine processes including development, excavation, crushing, and hoisting. Practical applications in the Yinzhu Mountain Lead-Zinc-Silver Mine project and a copper mine project in Turkey demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach. In the Yinzhu Mountain project, the adoption of full-face hard rock tunnel boring machines for development roadway construction reduced the infrastructure period by approximately 30%. In the copper mine project in Turkey, an intelligent unmanned system for underground crushing, loading, and hoisting is established, resulting in a 50% reduction in operational personnel, a 15% decrease in energy consumption, a 20% improvement in production efficiency, and a significant enhancement in system safety. The results demonstrate that the proposed mine design approach, driven by smart technologies, guided by technological processes, and supported by collaboration, can effectively address key challenges in mine construction and production, improving overall operational efficiency and safety levels. It is concluded that intelligent mine design should adhere to the principles of process leadership, technology enablement, and collaborative development, promoting the integrated application of smart equipment and system platforms in phases. This study provides a referential technical pathway and practical solution for the intelligent construction of similar mines, offering important theoretical and engineering significance for promoting high-quality and sustainable development in the mining industry.