This post originally appeared as part of an Industry Q&A with Austmine, the leading industry body for the mining equipment, technology and services sector. 
The mining industry is on the cusp of a new era of how day-to-day operations will be undertaken. Advanced technologies and the utilization of data will lead to more predictable, stable and controlled operations that will increase productivity, efficiency and safety at mine sites all around the world. The current industry challenge is ensuring this type of visibility and stability – so how can this be achieved?
INCREASED VISIBILITY OF MINING OPERATIONS
Identifying the different levers of the mining operation is the first step to stabilizing the operation – by uncovering the areas of operational improvement that increase business profitability. The role of digital technologies and innovations is to help identify opportunities, enabling qualified and senior resources, to better manage this process rather than simply marshalling vast amounts of siloed data.
We have seen breakthroughs in this area, so predictability and standardization can be achieved. One of our customers, Rick Howes, CEO of Dundee Precious Metal (Chelopech Operation), took an approach he called “taking the lid off”. With the implementation of our mine production management solution, the company was able to have greater visibility into the real-time activities of its operation.
This capability enabled Dundee to stabilize and better manage the activities of the operation to identify opportunities that led them to double production and lower the cost of production by 44%.
This visibility is missing from most mining operations today, where they are driving the car looking only in the rear-view mirror (with daily reports). The desire is to now shift the view to a “cockpit” of information in the central control room.
DRIVING EXCELLENCE THROUGH CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
As mining company profits continue to be pressured by the uncertainty that remains in the global economy, the industry is on a quest for innovation to help increase productivity.
To understand where mining companies can look for innovation, it is useful to examine what has led to successful transformations in other industries. Take, for example, Toyota – it became the world’s largest and most successful producer of automobiles by becoming an agile business – one that rapidly adjusts itself in light of changing demand and economic conditions. In essence, it put the framework in place to become a much more sustainable business. It started at the very bottom of its business by establishing operational stability to gain better control over manufacturing processes.
To become agile and sustainable, mining companies need to achieve operational stability – the predictability of expected mine production, costs, and performance levels. This requires mining and plant processing activities to function at higher levels of productivity and efficiency so that conformance to plan is always realized.
The quickest avenue to improved operational stability begins with reducing the variability in the planning and execution of mining and processing, which requires comprehensive planning, optimized scheduling, and disciplined work management.
THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN MITIGATING ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Of course, when we talk about operational stability and excellence, we also need to consider how technology can help mitigate some of the environmental issues in the mining sector to ensure social licence to operate into the future.
Environmental sustainability continues to be a top priority for the mining industry, and our technology is a huge part of ensuring that we are finding more effective ways of addressing the environmental impact of mining operations and communicating these plans.
With the right technology and software, mines can schedule waste more efficiently during mining, design improved waste dumps, monitor water usage, record environmental activity in real-time and develop effective mine closure plans.
This all starts with putting in place the correct processes, such as conducting baseline studies, evaluating site specific conditions and demands on functionality, conducting risk analysis in the operational phase and long-term phase, and coming up with alternative tailings/waste-rock management strategies throughout the mine’s life cycle.
Lastly, socializing the mine plan and showing the actual impact of the environment through 3D imaging can help with attaining buy-in from within the organization and/or key stakeholders.
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