4 Key Mining Tech Trends

In the rapidly evolving landscape of mining, the shift to digital is no longer a competitive advantage; it is a necessity. Having recently watched the Austmine Ditigial Mastery webinar, it gave our team at SAPHI time to pause and reflect on some of the major considerations in this space. For those of you strapped for time, here are 4 of our major takeaways!

Key Points:

1. AI imaging is something to keep a close eye on!

AI imaging is currently a major area of growth, with its significant impact on operations and health and safety outcomes. At SAPHI, we've experienced this firsthand, deploying fleets of AI imaging systems to some of the most remote mine sites globally. These solutions offer a range of benefits, from insights into load frequency and bucket volumes to enhanced IVMS solutions for detecting fatigue, seatbelt compliance, distraction, and anomaly detection.

The beauty of this technology is its flexibility. Hardware is notoriously difficult to deploy, and the last thing you want is to have to upgrade it every couple of years. With AI imaging, you bypass many of these issues. For example, you may invest in AI imaging capabilities for your existing camera network to monitor vehicle movement, speed and PPE compliance. Still, as your needs change, the system can adapt to new AI models being remotely added, altering its functionality to monitor productivity, product movement/volume per load, etc., without downtime.

2. Edge computing

To realise many of the benefits digital transformations enable in the context of harsh mining environments, edge computing is quickly becoming an industry standard. Edge computing facilitates real-time data processing at the point of capture, reducing latency and delivering immediate insights in areas with restricted communications.

In practical terms, this technology can provide benefits like real-time insights and analysis of vehicle location/condition/utilisation, environmental changes (dust), product condition etc. in areas with next to no connectivity.

3. Balancing innovation with practicality

When it comes to innovation, the true value lies in the net gain it produces once operationalised. While our society often assumes that efficiency gains come from embracing new infrastructure, the reality is that some of the most significant improvements are achieved by optimising what already exists on-site. This balance between innovation and practicality is a key consideration in the mining industry.

To ram this point home, check out this recent case study where our team generated a seven-fold increase in product throughput through basic system optimisation.

4. Smart OT has great benefits but approach with caution!

There's no doubt that smart operational technologies like IoT, thermal imaging, and predictive analytics offer countless improvements. However, investing in these technologies should be done with caution, as the market is saturated with vendors eager to sell their products, often without long-term support. This can lead to costly mistakes and ineffective solutions. Check out our latest article on 4 key considerations when forming your IoT strategy.

However, when strategy, procurement, and delivery teams are aligned, the likelihood of success is maximised. This alignment minimises the reliance on human judgment in the final outcome, resulting in more reliable reports and enhanced operational safety.

Don't Forget

I really hope these takeaways have been useful for you. Please let me know in the comment section what you thought about the article and forward on to anyone you think might benefit.

If anything has captured your attention and you would like to learn more about how these transformational technologies can support your strategic priorities, don't hesitate to reach out!