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Mining, at its core, is a very simple concept where technological advancements over the years have been great yet not revolutionary. However, today, the mining industry is in the midst of what some might call a revolution. Digitalization of mining technology, including artificial intelligence and robotics, has influenced the mining process, which we delve into in this article.
Mining technology over the years
Mining is a fairly straightforward concept: remove rock to expose ore, recover and process the ore, then use the mineral extracted. Although technological advancements have highly influenced the development of exploration and mining for mineral resources since the process was first employed millennia ago, it has largely followed the same basic concepts.
As such, many improvements have made the recovery of ore more efficient, or from deeper depths. Surface operations moved underground, draft animals were employed, wooden machinery to lift ore and rock, or to drain mining shafts began to be used; explosives started to be the norm for rock removal, and mining became an outright massive industry.
Now, thousands of years since its very beginning, the mining process is going through somewhat of a revolution when it comes to digitalization, robotics, and smart technology.
Here is our list of the most important technological advancements and trends in modern mining, in no particular order.
Digital transformation: AI, Digital Twins & predictive analytics
One of the most significant changes over the past years affected one of the largely unchanged factors in mining that was present from the very first day: human labor. Though it started centuries ago with the introduction of various mechanical devices designed to assist humans and improve production, only recently it has begun to shift to a more human-assisted mechanical process instead. Along with it, we can clearly see a trend towards full digitalization.
AI
Nowadays, one can employ predictive analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to forecast equipment failures and plan for such situations, reduce downtime and maintenance costs, as well as optimize the extraction process and coordinate the logistics with a much lower error rate.
Digital Twins
Apart from the above, or rather in conjunction with it, the emergence of Digital Twins has proven to be a game changer in the industry. These «twins» are virtual replicas of mines and machinery, which allow for simulations and risk assessments without any disruptions to the normal operations of the mine.
All the data used and gathered through these processes can then be easily accessed and shared, creating greater transparency of the operations, leading to greater accountability and greater trust from government, investors, and affected communities.
Automation & robotics
As already mentioned, many mines around the globe rely on machinery for most of the work carried out. The machines were traditionally operated fully by humans, but with advances in automation, they achieved an increasingly greater degree of autonomy, to the point where some machines today can be fully automated.
Trucks, drills and excavators, for example, are some of the machines traditionally associated with mining operations that can be automated. That reduces the dependence on human labor which is especially useful in very remote or hazardous environments.
More efficient mining processes
Apart from automation of machinery, robotics and drones can significantly improve the efficiency of the mining process. Drones can help with mapping and inspections, especially those equipped with LiDAR and thermal imaging, while various types of robots can improve worker safety by avoiding exposure to unstable conditions.
In countries with high labor costs, such measures can prove to be a significant money saver, apart from the obvious benefit of improving exploration and extraction. However, in many places around the World, the high initial investment needed for implementation is a significant barrier to widespread adoption.
But the trend towards automation is currently in full force, and one can reasonably expect the majority of mining operations in the world to be soon performed with automated machinery and robots.
Enhanced safety through smart technology
Although the future of mining does seem to be defined by widespread usage of automation, smart technology is being developed and employed to increase the safety of human operators on site.
The term of the day is IoT or Internet of Things, with «IoT-enabled» referring to devices and systems which are equipped with sensors and software that can exchange data online. These devices, such as helmets, vests, and various wearables, can provide real-time assessment of risks and hazards. They can detect harmful gases, measure fatigue, and track physiological indicators, alerting the operators of hazardous conditions.
Smart devices are complemented by Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) which monitor workers and equipment underground. These can track and log where incidents have occurred or where hazardous conditions were encountered.
Furthermore, predictive safety systems are nowadays using sensors to gather data such as seismic activity or equipment strain, for example, and combine that with the data from the IOT-enabled devices to create a clear picture of expected risks and areas to avoid.
Sustainable & eco-friendly innovations
Mining started as a rather low-carbon process, using only manual labor at first, then also employing draft animals, then wooden machinery either powered by water or said draft animals. Since the industrial revolution, mining has significantly increased its carbon emission, with heavy machinery nowadays being powered by internal combustion engines.
However, the trend nowadays is to return to the lower carbon days of mining, but not by eliminating the machinery, instead using electricity and renewable energy to power them. Hydropower is increasingly being used on mining sites, while electric haul trucks and battery-powered drills are steadily replacing diesel-powered ones. Although this transition is costly at first, it promises reduced operating costs in the longer term, as well as compliance with climate goals.
Biomining
Biomining is another important development which is reducing the carbon footprint of certain mining operations. In simple terms, it is a process which uses microorganisms to extract minerals from ore. Currently, some systems for biooxidation in particular can be prohibitively costly to use for anything other than high-value minerals, such as gold.
Advanced leaching methods can recover more ore from tailings that were previously considered uneconomical to process. This can extend the life of certain mining operations without the need to further extract ore.
Another way to increase sustainability is to reduce water usage. Closed-loop recycling systems and advanced filtration can reduce the withdrawals of fresh water, as well as minimize contamination risks.
Advanced sensing & sorting technologies
Advanced sensing technology is making ore sorting much more efficient. Through various scanning methods, like laser-induced fluorescence ore X-ray transmission, the valuable minerals can be identified and separated from the ore as they move on conveyor belts. This way, one doesn’t need to crush and grind more than strictly necessary for mineral separation and sorting.
These methods are being improved through machine learning and AI, automating the process, and further increasing its efficiency. On top of that, modular sensor sorting units can be deployed anywhere and moved from site to site.
Increasing usage of directional drilling
Developed primarily for the oil and gas industry, directional drilling found its way into mining when precise targeting became important for certain projects. However, today one can talk about many more advantages of employing directional drilling technology that go significantly beyond precision.
A lower ecological impact is one of those advantages. By being able to hit multiple targets from a single mother hole, exploration drilling can be carried out with fewer platforms, which means fewer disruptions to the local environment. Furthermore, drilling fewer total meters disturbs the underground less, but also reduces the carbon footprint of the exploration phase.
Needless to say, fewer drilled meters and shorter drilling programs increase the cost efficiency of mining operations.
A note on directional core drilling
With directional core drilling in particular, another benefit is lower water consumption compared to drilling with a mud-motor. This can further increase the sustainability of the mining operations and help the mining company align themselves better with national or global climate goals.
Although our modern society requires more and more minerals, the mining industry is trying to disrupt the environment less and less; to increase its efficiency, but decrease its carbon footprint; to be more profitable, but also more sustainable.
As such, it’s plain to see that the future of mining will be shaped by automation, wide-use of sensors, machine learning, AI, and green energy.
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