July 2022 | Diamond Pulse

24 | July 2022 | Diamond Pulse | The Diamond and Jewelry Resource Book Mailed to 23,000 Jewelers Monthly - To advertise call (888) 832-1109 | July 2022 | 25 elcome to Mining Diamonds, a new editorial feature focused on innovation within the worldwide natural diamond supply chain. By diamond mining ‘innovation,’ we mean game changers. The best and the brightest inventors from across the globe continue to bring newly patented products and processes to the diamond mining industry. Their goal? There are many, but all propose to assist diamond miners in sustainability concerns and claim to improve upon key supply chain touchpoints offering much safer, faster, cleaner (less carbon) and more effective, ways to dig for diamonds - all while being good to Gaia. This sporadic series will reveal these works of wonder. What we won’t cover is theories, cool-or looking prototypes. While each new-to-market mining advancement is hopefully loaded with good intentions, it’s only those loaded with proof of concept that will ‘get ink.’ Upgrading to a more streamlined diamond platform of any magnitude is yesterday’s news. Gone is the ability to quickly “freshen up” your business optics with a mere vernier. This isn’t a ‘new coat of paint’ situation or a software upgrade, it’s a corporate dig out while strategically climbing up, and into, a new way of business operandi. A way that should blend S.W.O.T. analysis, investment targets, timelines, ROI projections, and a lot of shareholders – all aligned in agreement for the long-term. Carbon In; Carbon Out While new (or improved) block chain systems will make the news, so will better diamond detection methods, elevated diamond point-of-origin guarantees, and claims of reducing (or eliminating) the type of footprint that got us into the diamond business to begin with: Carbon. Isn’t it odd that diamonds wouldn’t exist without this element? Then again, neither would people. Ironic. We rush to rid ourselves of the very thing that our livelihood and daily life is built upon. Naturally, everything we’re about to reveal has a non- fossil fuel need (or the deep reduction of such.) Each jaw-dropping thing you are about to learn is proven and at market now, or has been tested for over a year and due for release by Q4 of this year. Each is also wrapped in a human relations marketing package. Every invention revealed claims to cut carbon, lower on-the-job safety concerns and greatly reduce brute human force. Yet, each requires significant human strength to amp-up the daily agility and foster the power to change. A Piece of the Pi Less than ten years ago, most diamond miners with mobile phones trapped in mine-related turmoil knew dialing ‘911’ was as useless as having a mobile phone with them in the first place. Even the newest iPhone with 4G wireless can’t send or receive voice or data deep underground, as in a mile or more deep. Most major mining operations are still forced to handout outdated radio-based frequency options like ‘walky-talkies,’ or ‘leaky coax,’ (a process of running cable underground, such as in city tunnels, allowing us to talk and text, sometimes half a mile or more under water). For miners needing to travel into deep, pitch black unexplored digs, the kind that can still bury people alive, it’s a good thing for Elon Musk’s new Pi Phone. This very smart phone should save the day. And the night. And the week, without a charge, the Pi phone company claims. Since Musk is targeting cosmic communication from Mars on his Pi, his insisting his ‘revolutionary’ smart phone will work a hundred feet or more below ground, doesn’t seem out of this world. Neither does the fact the Pi is said to alert users against high levels of radiation before coming too close to the problem. The Pi claims to vibrate wildly, flash ‘beacons of colored lights,’ and sound-off in powerful audio alerts if the phone detects carbon monoxide fumes, lethal smoke or poisonous gas. Life-threatening changes even deep down under seem to be in check. These include Pi’s ability to detect the inaudible low-hum of the initial vibration stage of a devastating mud slide, a bone crushing boulder starting to loosen its grip, advance notice of an Earth quake, a tornado, monsoon season, the Earth’s fault lines opening and aliens invading the planet. OK… The last three I made-up, but it’s safe to say more than miners will want this phone. In the wings, should the Pi, die – is a highly advanced and powerful formof Bluetooth, also branded Zig-Bee. Wi-Fi, ZigBee and Bluetooth wireless communication systems utilize the Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio band, resulting in a high mutual interference between these technologies; these systems operate at the same (or close) frequencies. That invites a lot more cross-platform problems, all solvable while at home or in your car - not so much when you’re stuck in a one-way mine shaft, so any major miners combing through a mining communication change-out via ISM may want to start talking to Mr. Musk. The Dome Drone Six, tiny HD cameras, each with quad-stereo microphones, LED torch lights, sound activation, 4K night vision, waterproof, windproof and allegedly damage proof, can also retain enough power to shoot for over eight hours, non-stop. With a temporary brand name of the Paraflex, this multi-cam drone flies inside of a collapsible titanium cage, keeping the entire system at feather-weight status. Miners are already adapting to this miracle drone. It can soar down narrow, long, tube-like areas by flexing it’s mighty metal ribcage of protection and also use the same to be as large as a beachball of the future. Or a beachball of now. The list of uses for whatever name the company falls upon is obviously long and deserved. The best part, the battery used is ‘self-rechargeable,’ meaning it docks itself when at 10% battery life and uses the stored power to stay ‘on alert’ if needed for an extra eight hours, if needed. 500 and Counting Caterpillar Resource Industries Group President, Denise Johnson, recently celebrated by hosting a company-wide video conference stream. His headline message: “Congratulations to the entire Caterpillar team and our customers on reaching a very impressive milestone. Having 500 driverless trucks in operation across the globe is tangible evidence of our ability to innovate, and a clear indication of Caterpillar’s commitment to the future of mining.” Caterpillar does indeed lead the way in autonomous, industry-grade drilling, digging and hauling trunks. Autonomous mine sites now operating 24/7 on three continents. In January of this year, customers using Cat Command technology had hauled more than 4 billion tons of earthy material, and did so with a documented 30% improved total performance rating over operator-driven trucks. If you think those 500 drivers are busy attending to the electric fuel stations powering up these new driverless vehicles, well, you’d be correct. For now. Soon, these 500 self-driving electric monster machines will have their power replaced. The yet-to- be-released detail somehow involves solar power and the eye-brow raising rumor of a ‘water-like fuel’ that seemingly performs similar to gas and combustion engines but with no friction, heat, smoke or any carbon kick. That, and Cat plans on dynamic news to hit by mid-2023 on advanced mining, quarry, aggregates and construction industry-focused ways to get the job done by Cat automation. Seeing Through Rock Last year, Chinese scientists seemingly proved to the world they had something that no one else has, or knows how to create – the ability to ‘see through walls.’ While what you’re about to learn is impressive and very helpful to all miners everywhere. I’m sorry to report the Chinese scientists were not completely correct, however. The U.S. and one other unnamed country (unnamed only since the name and location A diamond miner tests the instant response of the Paraflex, a temporary name for a new auto-collapsible or auto- expandable dome-caged drone. The only HD drone with six camera, individual LED torch lights. night vision, sound activation, 8-hours of non-stop flying battery, a self-docking and repowering for another 8-hours, waterproof, wind proof and more. This item won’t be available for consumers until a sister version (priced much less than this wonder gadget comes to market, perhaps in late 2023) Scania’s self-driving diamond mine hauling trucks are the first autonomous vehicles that run on biodegradable fuel. This independent company was recently thought to be acquired by Caterpillar, yet remains independently owned hrough a European-based holding company Photo: Scania