In 2020 mines were exposed on an unprecedented scale: more than 1,600 mines were registered by data and analytics company GlobalData as being temporarily suspended at the height of the first wave of Covid-19 in late March and early April last year.
And while many mines have since restarted and new health and safety measures have been put in place to minimize the risk of potential outbreaks, the industry has emerged from the pandemic with one eye looking carefully at the next crisis that could disrupt supply chains .
Smart technologies and digital devices have been touted as a potential bulwark for the mining industry against future pandemics – an autonomous drill cannot get sick while a human drill operator can. We spoke to Boris Ivanov to find out what technology trends mining can chase and how the pandemic has impacted digital transformation in the sector.
Matthew Hall: What are the main smart mining trends that will increase over the next decade?
Boris Ivanov: From improving planning and operational efficiencies to mine safety and workflow productivity, rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies could be critical to the smooth and successful operation of mines.
For example, using pattern matching and predictive analysis, AI programs can analyze significant amounts of geological data and identify new and potentially valuable locations to be mined.
Not only will this help companies locate and mine minerals much faster, but it will also reduce the initial investment as mining companies can more accurately plan exploration activities.
As the exploration of new deposits becomes more complex, including lower grades and deeper deposits, the implementation of autonomous systems powered by AI could become increasingly popular with mining companies.
Using self-guided machines to take over operations in unstable environments will not only greatly reduce the risk to miners’ lives, but also make it easier for the 24/7 mine to climb as the machines will be able to operate without interruption. This increased emphasis on the safety of the workforce and the mines is motivating the development of the mining automation market.
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The hope is that this market shift will gain momentum over the next decade; However, there are other crucial factors that cannot be overlooked. Currently, the costs of supporting and operating a fully automated mine are far too high and the technologies too complicated to be implemented on site without additional knowledge and improved skills from miners.
While realizing the benefits of smart mining will help refocus that narrative, much more has to change before digital technologies become a standard solution on a large scale.
MH: Has the The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the need for mining companies to adopt smart technologies.
WITH A: Yes i believe it has. The Covid-19 pandemic triggered one of the most disruptive periods of all time for mining companies. Full lockdowns were in place around the world overnight, and with day-to-day operations all but suspended, companies had to take quick action to keep the supply chain intact.
Coupled with the sudden unplanned shift towards remote working, this caused many companies to reassess the profitability of their business and acted as a wake-up call, demonstrating the need to adopt new processes and technology to keep up with market trends.
As a result, the demand for smart mining solutions has increased over the past 12 months, with the focus on autonomous technology and drone technology based on machine learning. Using intelligent data and machine learning capabilities, a single operator can now remotely control multiple drilling rigs at the same time, with autonomous vehicles taking over operation from pit to pit.
Remote monitoring tools have also brought tangible benefits during mine shutdowns: Companies can monitor and review the performance and data of their devices without having to be on site or in the control room. These have not only helped optimize the efficiency of mines, but have also improved safety and performance while continuing to operate despite social distancing restrictions.
The global pandemic has shown how important these innovations are, but also sharpened the focus on the unsolved challenges of new technologies. The best digital solutions for the industry so far have been in mining, for example in geological analysis and remote surveying. As the adoption of these technologies accelerates, we are still a long way from using fully automated mines.
MH: Are there any ways the pandemic has adversely affected corporate plans for digital transformation?
WITH A: Most mining companies are realizing the value of digitalization and how it can help achieve cost efficiency, accelerate production, improve sustainability and create new ways of working, and ensure workforce safety. There is competitive pressure to digitize and modernize processes, but many companies neither have the luxury of time nor the free budget to develop their own solutions.
It is not surprising that many metal and mining companies are struggling to implement digital transformations. Some employees are less familiar with digital solutions than in other industries. They often work in remote locations with low network bandwidth and where the rough terrain makes it difficult to deploy digital sensors.
There may also be cultural opposition to integrating digital technologies into processes that have been in place for more than a century, with workers fearing layoffs due to automation.
With this in mind, however, the Covid-19 pandemic has acted as a catalyst, forcing mine managers and investors to consider all remote working solutions in terms of lockdown measures and travel restrictions. While there are still significant challenges for companies to bridge the gap in implementing digital strategies, the crisis will surely lead to innovation and new ways of thinking about old problems.
MH: How can mining advance smart mining in such a way that it can meet miners’ challenges in the years to come when we emerge from the pandemic with an impending climate crisis on the horizon?
WITH A: With the green transition gaining momentum and mining companies under pressure to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, operations must adapt to smarter ways of working to meet regulatory changes and keep pace with market standards.
Against this background, sustainable mining is becoming increasingly important. Smart mining technologies enable companies to significantly reduce their impact on the surrounding ecosystems by tracking how resources are extracted and disposed of. For example, automated drones can be used to monitor excavation and extraction projects to keep detailed reports on the spread of waste products and harmful materials.
In addition, drones can also be used to assess the pipeline infrastructure and retention basins. At the same time, safety monitoring in hazardous areas and asset management can be carried out at several locations. Not only will this prevent geologists or miners from being sent into a hostile environment, but regular audits will allow mining operations to be adapted to minimize the environmental impact and reduce the operation’s ecological footprint.
AI-powered models can also be developed to improve equipment maintenance and predict the future impact of mining. This improves productivity and makes it easier to develop technologies that are less harmful to the environment.
