Practical Aspects of GPS Implementation at the Morenci Copper Mine

Janet A. Flinn, Connie Waddell, and Mary A. Lowery

Abstract:	Phelps Dodge's Morenci copper mine southeastern Arizona produces over a billion pounds copper per year. Doing this requires moving over 840,000 tons of material each day. Transportation of this material to crushers and stockpiles requires 16 shovels, two loaders, and nearly 100 haul trucks, all equipped with systems using GPS. In addition to the loading and haulage equipment, five blasthole drills and six track bulldozers are equipped with GPS. Some practical issues of implementing new technology in a mining environment have been identified which include installation time, transition time, training, technical resources, procedures for tracking problems and failures, back-up systems, product support, product quality, and product integration. Evaluating these intangibles can help identify hidden costs and benefits.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1999) September 14 - 17, 1999 Nashville, TN
Pages:	915 - 920
Cite this article:	Flinn, Janet A., Waddell, Connie, Lowery, Mary A., "Practical Aspects of GPS Implementation at the Morenci Copper Mine," Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1999), Nashville, TN, September 1999, pp. 915-920.
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