Colombian Mining Optimization and Safety

Acknowledgements

Advisor & Consultants:
Beth Reddy
Alina Handorean
Juan Lucena
Oscar Restrepo

Technical Consultant:
MountainSmith

Video – Elevator Pitch

Design Approach

To mitigate the physical effects of the load carriage on the miners, the team had decided to design a backpack frame that closely models that of the ALICE frame used by the US military. The team elected to model the design after the ALICE frame because it is relatively simple to build and has been successfully implemented by the U.S. military for more than fifty years. It has been proven to be durable and produce proper load distribution over the hips while having the ability to be produced at a relatively low cost. The main difference between the ALICE frame and the group’s current design is to simplify the design and make sure the parts are cheap and available.

This design includes a series of straps and clips that allow for proper distribution of the load, as well as easy removal in the event of an emergency. The back panel is padded and covered with canvas, to mitigate danger from perforation, as well as improve comfort. The hip and shoulder straps are also padded and sewn to the frame for durability and additional support. To add more support, a shelf made of the PVC framing was added to the design. This addition compensates for the differences in strength between the PVC frame and the metal frame that ALICE packs typically use. The materials selected were done so with specific emphasis on affordability and longevity. The final proof of concept prototype is seen in the pictures below.

Design Solution

In addition, the team decided that instead of attempting to manufacture backpacks in the U.S. for sale in Colombia, the team would make an assembly/design manual to be sent to the Colombian miners. The reason for this decision was that the team wanted to ensure that the miners have the ability to use local products and make iterations to the design as their budget allows them to ensure affordability for all miners in Colombia. In addition, the team’s hope is that the backpack will create its own economy within the mining communities of Colombia, with some members of the community building the backpacks and selling them to the miners. The team believes that this approach gives the project the potential to not only improve the lives of the miners, but also increase local economic diversity by creating new job opportunities within the region. Information from a recent collaboration with MIT suggested that there is a group of women in the region interested in manufacturing these packs.

The team performed an economic analysis to confirm that the prototype is affordable for the miners in question, especially if manufactured by a separate group of individuals. The analysis performed by the team suggested that the prototype would likely cost only a fraction of an average mine’s daily income. Therefore, the team believes that a group should be able to manufacture the packs for a low enough cost that they could sell them to the miners for a profit.

The material selected for the rigid frame is PVC because it is affordable, readily available, and sufficiently durable. The other materials include nylon woven straps, plastic buckles, pool noodles or alternative foam padding, and canvas fabric, as seen in the below table. All of these materials are relatively inexpensive, accessible, and many can be substituted for others if necessary.

One of the main challenges in creating a new transport method for ASGM miners is determining how to implement it in a way that is economically and socially sustainable. The team focused on creating a frame that considers economic constraints, improves local economic diversity, and promotes social justice. Through stakeholder engagement, iterating prototypes, and product testing, the team practiced and learned project management skills, leadership, and teamwork. This project will be carried on by another group to be tested in the field and potentially redesigned, in hopes that an improved ore-transport system can be fully implemented and sustained.

Next Steps

To continue this project, the team feels that testing and obtaining feedback on the backpack frame as well as updating and expanding the design manual are the most important to complete. The limited testing performed by the team this semester suggests that PVC is sufficiently strong. However, due to the COVID19 pandemic, testing of the backpack’s strength and durability was cut short. Therefore, more advanced load and comfort testing should be the top priority for future teams to ensure the safety and durability of the product. Additionally, the team intended to have the PVC prototype tested in Colombia and receive feedback to guide the next iteration, but this opportunity was also lost this semester. It is also critically important to the next team to obtain community feedback on the backpack. Along with the backpack, the team has also developed an initial assembly manual for the design. It will be important for the team to obtain direct community feedback on this assembly manual to ensure it is appropriate for those who will be using it. Along with the assembly manual the team feels that it would be important to create and iterate through a repair and user manual as well. This will ensure that all parties involved in the life of the backpack are considered. This feedback and subsequent reiteration processes will be important next steps for the next team to achieve.

Meet the Team