Smart Mining – Today and Tomorrow

Digital technologies offer the potential to deliver significant improvements by improving the quality and availability of data and informations, which in turn can be the key to significant productivity gains. In addition, meaningful digital technologies can help to reduce the environmental impact. It is therefore assumed that digital technologies have the potential to be the key to the sustainability of the industry or at least to enable significant improvements. The future of mining is “smart”. However, as is often the case with popular slogans, the exact meaning is becoming increasingly fuzzy. Therefore, this article provides an overview of smart mining as a term, concept and global trend.

Changing framework conditions

There is no doubt that the global mining industry today is under pressure in several ways and has to respond to the changing demands of a wide range of stakeholders but also to changing technical and economic conditions.

On the one hand, declining ore grades, increasing mining depths and mining in remote regions are leading to longer, energy-intensive production distances. The demand for water and energy is increasing and, as a result, so are the overall production costs. It has been observed for several decades that overall productivity has been declining and has only recently stabilized or, in some areas, improved. These trends are also leading to longer periods for the development of new mining projects (1).

On the other hand, the values of the “stakeholders” and the social expectations as well as the often newly set framework conditions for mining companies are changing. (End-)consumers increasingly demand that companies ensure that products come from traceable sources and are produced in a responsible manner, that they offer fair and secure jobs to their employees, and that they protect the environment and support the communities in which they operate. Investors are increasingly judging companies on factors such as their environmental footprint, carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption, as well as their safety record and the benefits to employees (2).

Nevertheless, the industry still has the reputation of “taking more than it gives” and is therefore in a reputation crisis. The mining industry of the future must align with the social values of the next generation. Increased transparency, responsible technological innovation, sustainability and shared prosperity are the values that will shape a very different society in the future (3).

As a result, mining companies around the world continue to be under pressure to be cost-competitive and generate acceptable returns for shareholders. At the same time, there is a growing demand for companies that align their performance with the triple bottom line of sustainability, i. e., measuring and evaluating social, environmental and economical performance (4).

As a particular peculiarity of the industry, mining companies have always had to deal with a high degree of uncertainty and imperfect information in their operations, regardless of where in the world they operate. Knowledge about the actual structure and condition of the deposit is limited, the general conditions for mining companies can be extremely challenging, the high variability and changing quality of the rock to be mined pose a major problem for the mining industry and for all downstream processing operations. These characteristics of mining represent a considerable difficulty for the mining operations as well as their economic performance (5).

Against this background, digital technologies offer the potential to deliver significant improvements by improving the quality and availability of data and informations, which in turn can be the key to significant productivity gains. In addition, meaningful digital technologies can help to reduce the environmental impact. It is therefore assumed that digital technologies have the potential to be the key to the sustainability of the industry or at least to enable significant improvements. The future of mining is “smart” – this seems to be the general consensus today.

However, as is often the case with popular slogans, the exact meaning is becoming increasingly fuzzy. Therefore, this article provides an overview of smart mining as a term, concept and global trend.

So, what exactly is Smart Mining?

Interestingly, although the term is now widely used, there is no established definition for the term “Smart Mining” yet.

Some sources say that “smart” refers to the use of digital technologies to make mining “more specific, measurable, accepted, realistic and timed”, while other sources point out that “smart” began as an abbreviation for “self-monitoring analysis and reporting technologies” (6). As a first starting point, it can be stated that “smart” has to do with digitally enabled acquisition and processing of data, which is derived from the evaluation of data and information from connected machines, devices and plant components. This data and information flow back into the organization to make better decisions in real time. The successful implementation of an “ecosystem” of IoT devices (IoT – Internet of Things), which enables plant managers and operators to make better and anticipatory decisions, makes a mine “intelligent” (7).

At the Institute for Advanced Mining Technologies (AMT) of RWTH Aachen University, Aachen/Germany, we define Smart Mining as “the intelligent connection and integration of mining machines (physical components) using information and communication technologies (cyber-systems) to form so-called cyber-physical systems, where the exchange and transmission of data and information takes place via a platform, the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things)” (Figure 1).

The intelligent mine of the future thus represents the long-term vision of a digitally connected, autonomous mine in which the connected systems are able to reduce the ever-increasing complexity to such an extent that improved decision-making can be realized in real time (In this context, “real time” is to be understood as “right time”, i. e. the information must be available “in time” for the process, i. e. not necessarily in milliseconds depending on the process.). The mines of the future will therefore not only be digitally integrated, but also flexible and selective as well as dynamically adaptable, robust and reliable (8).

On the basis of these definitions, the next section will elaborate on the types of equipment and components in a mine that have the potential to be digitized and to improve the mining operation by integrating them into the IIoT landscape.

The technological landscape

In general, the infrastructure components of an intelligent mine include

• automated equipment (such as excavators and dump trucks, shearers and conveyors, drilling equipment, crushers, bunkers, skip units, etc.);
• hardware components (such as sensors, RFID tags, wireless infrastructure, drones, embedded systems); and
• software components (such as cloud and platform solutions, data analysis solutions, 3D imaging and modeling software, remote management solutions, etc.) (9).

In addition, new technologies such as modular mobile machines and battery-powered electric vehicles, the integration of renewable energy sources or even on-site 3D printing can help to make the operation of a mine smarter, which in this case can also lead to an increase in resource efficiency and a reduction in the consumption of fossil fuels and energy and water demands. This last aspect is part of what the World Bank is now calling “Climate Smart Mining”, which emphasizes the dimensions of sustainability and social and environmental responsibility for global mining.

However, the “IT core” of most of the applications mentioned above are robust and reliable sensors that collect data and, in combination with a secure data transmission and communication infrastructure and sophisticated algorithms and software programs, transform them into meaningful information – ideally in real time.

Sensor-based applications can be used to monitor key (performance) parameters of machines and equipment in real time and improve failure prediction, while at the same time enabling the monitoring and control of process parameters such as optimized material flow, best possible equipment utilization, improved processing and optimized ventilation on demand.

The automation of operating equipment has already been implemented in numerous mines worldwide, e. g., through highly automated dump trucks, drilling rigs or “longwalls”. Automated machines above ground can usually rely on GPS data for localization and navigation. Additional sensors on the machines and the associated data infrastructure and software combine the information from all subsystems into a complete picture. The implementation of automated localization and navigation solutions in underground mining is much more difficult because GPS signals and other traditional localization services do not work below the surface. Therefore, alternatives must be provided in the form of local localization and positioning systems.

Implementation challenges

In terms of implementing intelligent solutions for mining, the two biggest questions for a mine seem to be the “what” and the “how”, apart from the often-discussed reluctance to implement (risky) digital technologies and to try something new.

The decision on “what”, i. e. what kind of technologies should be used in a particular operation, requires a prior solid analysis of the existing problems as well as tailor-made solutions based on the results of the evaluation. In addition, a robust and functioning IT infrastructure is an important basis for ensuring secure communication between different systems and types of equipment. In this context, ensuring the interoperability of systems in particular is the key to integrating machines and processes throughout the mine and the entire value chain. At present, however, this is still difficult to implement due to a lack of standardization. One contribution to solving this problem is, e. g., the “Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture” (OPC UA).

In order to bring about a fundamental change in this context, the IT components must be adapted to each mine site and implemented there. However, this is exactly where many companies have their problems. Although they have taken individual measures, be it condition monitoring or the location of people using sensors, they do not implement them at every mine site (10).

The “how” of introducing new technologies refers to the entire process of implementation and integration, often into an ongoing operation. This includes personnel management, the adaptation of management systems and changes in corporate culture, as well as a proactive approach to the changing work requirements and the changing qualification needs of the workforce and the new employees to be recruited. Great importance must be placed on their training and long-term loyalty and retainment to the company, as the “investment in training” is becoming ever greater. The mine operator must ensure that the workforce has the digital skills required for the “mine of the future”, whether above or below ground (11).

In summary, intelligent technologies and increasing automation can help mining companies to improve the three aspects of sustainability outlined above. However, success will depend on how these possibilities are implemented in concrete terms and on a case-by-case basis and embedded in an overall process.

The role of research and innovation

Although much progress has been made over the last decade and a wide range of technologies are now widely available, there are new challenges that need to be addressed through research, innovation and cooperation.

One area that can help to further develop digitally supported autonomous systems will be the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotics-based process automation, sophisticated system analysis and modelling (Figure 2).

This will enable us to “understand” the data and thus develop a “situation awareness”, and to gain insights into the overall processes in near real-time (in time) and determine which possible courses of action need to be considered (12).

The complexity and harsh conditions, especially in underground mines, require technological developments, supported by additional research, especially with regard to the development of autonomous systems underground (Figure 3). While the location of personnel and equipment in some mines has been realized with the help of WiFi networks, the underground autonomous localization, positioning and navigation of machines as well as machine-to-machine communication systems still require a lot of research and innovation. The AMT is one of the few research institutes worldwide that conducts applied research on alternative sensor technologies such as ultra-wideband technology (UWB) and sensor fusion to further advance the development of automated and autonomous machines for use in the demanding conditions of raw material extraction.

Particularly with regard to machine-to-machine communication, another important aspect is the further development of an interoperability standard for safe and reliable data exchange through “Open Platform Communications” (OPC) standards for mining machines. Experts see the OPC Unified Architecture (UA) as a central communication standard in IoT and Industry 4.0 environments. OPC UA is a manufacturer and platform-independent, service-oriented communication standard that will play an important role in promoting autonomous developments in mining. VDMA Mining is taking a leading role in the development of OPC UA CS Mining, the adapted OPC UA standard for the mining industry. VDMA Mining cooperates with a number of companies that are actively involved in the development of the OPC UA CS Mining. The AMT supports VDMA Mining in this process, and re-presentatives of the existing International Rock Excavation Data Exchange Standard (IREDES) also participate in the process. In addition, VDMA Mining is in contact with the Global Mining Guidelines Group (GMG) to ensure that the standards are globally compatible and are disseminated at international level.

Another area in which forward-looking research into new methods and technologies can contribute is the further development of selective and low-impact mining methods in order to increase resource efficiency and safety while reducing the amount of overburden or waste material produced during production. Much progress has been made in primary processing with the aim of consuming less energy, water and chemicals while at the same time increasing the proportion of valuable rock extracted. In terms of selective extraction, advances in real-time material detection, e. g., during the conveying process and/or prior to processing, can further contribute to reducing the amount of waste material to be processed, thereby further optimizing resource efficiency and energy consumption. In this area, AMT is pioneering the use of infrared thermography (IR) as an imaging method and acoustic emission (AE) technology for process-integrated material characterization (13).

Research and innovation play an important role in making the mining industry fit for the future and there are many other areas where research and innovation can make an important contribution.

Innovation refers not only to the technologies (processes, products, services) that are newly developed, but also to the process of their development and application. It seems to be a clear trend that innovation is increasingly implemented through collaborative networks, such as open innovation networks, “innovation ecosystems”, collaborative research centres and other forms of interdisciplinary cooperation. In terms of technology adoption, there continues to be a trend for mining companies to engage and collaborate with a wide range of partners, including OEMs, technology service providers, start-ups and other suppliers, who are now also tending to focus on the rapidly evolving new technologies through novel collaborative channels (14). In both areas, cross-company collaboration is proving to be a fundamental aspect of innovation and the sustainable integration of new technologies.

Implications for German suppliers

Against this background, what role do suppliers play and what impact does this have on German mining technology and service providers (METS) in order to advance the mining industry in the age of cooperative innovation?

According to Peter McCarthy of AMC Consultants, most of the problems are solved by small METS companies, so they are expected to play a key role in promoting the industry as a whole. According to Ben Adair, CEO of the CRC ORE, a collaborative research centre in Australia, mining companies, suppliers and METS companies have the best chance of future-proofing the industry by working together to innovate the industry and tackle problems together. Another important benefit, according to Len Eros, Global Mining Manager for Motion Business at ABB, is that when an end user and an OEM or research team work together, the results can be particularly successful because the different team members bring different perspectives and understanding of the problem. The diversity of these teams leads to a more open way of thinking, which leads to new approaches to solutions (15).

Many players in the mining industry are already involved in a number of research partnerships and innovation networks that are looking for technological solutions to the specific challenges formulated by mine operators. Therefore, the promotion of cooperation between German suppliers, also in order to jointly develop all-in solutions that can be offered to international mine operators, is an important approach to sustainably ensure international competitiveness. As the integration of new technologies into existing processes is becoming increasingly complex, mine operators prefer such kinds of system solutions to one-off or isolated solutions. However, these solutions must be developed in cooperation, and the further development of standards such as OPC UA plays a central role in advancing IIoT in mining.

Summary and outlook

This article provides an overview of various aspects of smart mining and explains approaches to describing the multifaceted content and meaning of the term. In addition, some of the challenges associated with Smart Mining are discussed and highlighted. These go beyond the technologies to be deployed and also concern the process of development, introduction and sustainable adaptation. Some of the future areas of research and innovation were also addressed, with particular emphasis on the aspect of new collaborative working methods as a future way to successfully develop the mining industry towards a smarter and more sustainable extraction of the required raw materials. Subsequently, some implications for German suppliers were outlined and suggestions for future orientation and development were made. The need for suppliers and mine operators to work together in innovation networks and cooperative research centres could be a key factor in advancing the industry as a whole and to be able to harness the potential of technological innovation and intelligent mining in a sustainable manner.

As complementary information, it should be noted that the AMT, in cooperation with VDMA Mining and DMT GmbH & Co. KG, organizes the “Smart Mining Conference” every two years to promote cooperation within the industry and provide a platform where new technological advances can be presented and discussed with an international audience (Figure 4). The next Smart Mining Conference will take place in November 2021 in Aachen/Germany, and will provide industry experts, start-ups and technology providers with an excellent opportunity to present new solutions and promote cooperation at national and international levels.

As further complementary information, the mining company Anglo American has created a framework with its FutureSmart Mining^TM project to embody a visionary approach in which technology, digitalization and sustainability go hand in hand (16). The goal of this approach is to enable innovations that can fundamentally change the way mining operates, if necessary, and significantly reduce the environmental footprint while making mining safer and more productive. The corresponding “FutureSmart Mining Forum”, which is organized by Anglo American at regular intervals, has already become an important platform for promoting cooperation and innovation in the industry.

What is clear from this initiative and the discussion in international forums is that a clear vision for reducing the environmental impact of mining while improving productivity and safety are the common characteristics for future mining. Although the extraction of raw materials always means an intervention in nature, tomorrow’s mining will increasingly take place underground and will be almost invisible above ground (17).

It is likely that the threat of climate change and difficulties in water supply will lead to even more rapid transformations in the way modern mining is conducted. The bottom line, one can say with certainty, is that operators will find ways to make their mines fit for the future by integrating new, adapted technologies in order to secure their economic goals and their “social license to operate” in the long term.

Smart Mining – Interview with Prof. Elisabeth Clausen

Mining Report Glückauf (MRG): In the article you are quoted as saying that the mining industry of the future will leave a reduced ecological footprint. So, why is intelligent mining more sustainable?

Prof. Elisabeth Clausen: Meaningfully applied digitization will lead to a significant improvement compared to the incomplete and unreliable information available today about the deposit, the process and the use or condition of machinery. Moreover, connectivity will make it possible to make data more widely available, so that this information will no longer be available only for individual applications and processes, but can be used across the board.

The potential for improving sustainability – and by this, I mean quite explicitly the three pillars of economy, ecology and social – can be based precisely on this reduction of uncertainty. From this, optimizations can be derived, e. g., in terms of the utilization or maintenance of machines, but also in terms of improving selectivity in extraction. In this way, e. g., maintenance costs can be reduced or overall productivity increased. Furthermore, a reliable and good data base can increase energy and resource efficiency and improve occupational safety. This can be achieved, e. g., by using technologies for the localization and recognition of machines and persons with the aim of avoiding collisions or, more generally, by developing autonomous extraction processes so that people no longer have to stay in the immediate danger zone. By using automated systems, production can become more reliable, precise and efficient, and deposits (or parts of deposits), which cannot yet be mined in a technically and/or economically feasible way, can be exploited to a greater extent.

These are just a few examples. In fact, the connection between digitalized mining and its influence on improving the sustainability of the extraction process has never been systematically investigated anywhere. The AMT has therefore begun to systematically investigate this connection for the first time as part of a study commissioned by BGR.

It is important for me to say here that it is certainly not an automatism that modern, integrated technologies lead to more sustainable mining. It always depends on how these technologies are integrated into the overall process and are also accepted by the employees. I am convinced that future mining can become not only more economical and efficient but also more ecologically friendly and socially accepted through the use and application of digital technologies. However, the key remains the human being, who will still have to make important decisions, take responsibility and remain the one who determines the overall vision and direction, even in an almost “transparent” and automated mine.

MRG: What are the implications of this transformation in terms of the working environment, the activities and the demands on the employees? Will the classic mining engineer soon be a phase-out model?

Prof. Clausen: No, of course the mining engineer will not be a phase-out model, even if we today do not yet know in detail some of the future occupational fields and areas of responsibility. Because of the generalist education and orientation, the mining engineer has actually always been in demand to be flexible and adaptable and to integrate different competences, specializations and disciplines. This competence of the mining engineer as an “integrator” will probably become even more important with digitalization. In order to be able to bring together different disciplines, a broad and deep specialist knowledge is more important today than ever. And despite all the digitization, we must not forget that there are many competences and skills that machines cannot take over, but which are important for decision-making. It is precisely these competencies that must be at the heart of education and training today, which is why we are implementing modern, competence-oriented teaching and learning using a variety of different approaches. It is therefore particularly important that we educate and train engineers who are able to solve new and undefined, unstructured and complex problems.

Firstly, the acquisition of deep, well-founded disciplinary knowledge remains of central importance and must not be neglected in the discussion about social skills, leadership or entrepreneurial thinking. This is particularly important in view of the fact that increasing automation and digitization are moving us further and further away from the actual processes. However, and this is important to me, this specialist knowledge must not exist only as theoretical, passive knowledge, but must be applied during training and also transferred to new types of questions and problem sets.

Secondly, the topic of data competence, i. e. the safe and competent handling of data, is and will become increasingly important. This summer semester, e. g., we have set up a new course at the AMT which deals with “Data Analytics for Heavy Duty Equipment”. Building on the foundations laid in the subjects “Measurement and Control” and “Introduction to Matlab”, which deal with the acquisition, processing, evaluation and visualization of data, this subject is concerned with the meaningful use of data in the context of machinery and equipment in the raw materials industry.

As a third point, I would like to return to the topic of problem-solving skills. This also includes the ability to innovate and the sensitization for entrepreneurial thinking, i. e. the ability to develop solutions to problems in the form of novel processes, products or services that bring a real benefit and added-value to the extraction of raw materials and can lead to new business models. We are therefore also pursuing the approach of “innovation driven learning” and our world’s first Learning Factory Mining 4.0, which is currently under construction, is an expression of this.

MRG: What do you think are the biggest challenges for the further development of intelligent mining?

Prof. Clausen: On the one hand, I still see major challenges in generating and providing high-quality, meaningful data. For this it is important to develop sensor technology that can cope with the harsh environmental conditions and the special features of mining. In addition, it is necessary to use suitable algorithms and models, e. g., using artificial intelligence, which are capable of converting this data into meaningful information. Verifying and validating these algorithms and models, i. e. checking whether the right data are acquired correctly and if correct and meaningful information from these data are derived correctly is certainly also one of the major difficulties. We also have to ask ourselves which data are meaningful and usable and which benefit should and can be achieved. This also means that the goal cannot be to continuously increase the amount of data with the expectation of producing better information, but rather to reduce it to the essential data that can be sensibly handled in practice. This is also necessary in the end to reduce complexity for the decision maker.

On the other hand, the interoperability and standardization of machine-to-machine communication, e. g., within the framework of OPC UA also plays an important role in this context. The establishment of an IIoT infrastructure with the associated platforms and data communication structures is also a central challenge. The area of data security – also cyber security – must be addressed as well as the question of data ownership: who owns the data, to how permissive are the individual companies involved in the processes with the data and in what format is the data transmitted, since ultimately only integrated, networked data can be used effectively.

Many of these challenges cannot be solved in isolation, but only in cooperation. Universities can play an important role here, both in the development of new technologies as well as in education, training and professional development. In addition, with the Smart Mining Conference held every two years, we offer an increasingly internationally attended platform, which is intended in particular to promote networking and exchange. Not only are innovative solutions presented there, the platform also offers a good and popular opportunity for networking between mining companies, OEMs, technology service providers and research, thus making a direct contribution to innovation.

The future can be smart and connected, but it also requires a high level of social competence and interaction to integrate different disciplines, actors and perspectives and to successfully implement collaborative innovation. Machines cannot achieve all this. Creative, committed and well-trained specialists and managers are needed to shape these developments and we hope that with our institute we will contribute to ensuring that the mining industry of the future will not only be technologically possible, but that it can also be designed and sustainably implemented by qualified and competent people.