Technology & Innovation
AUSTRALIA’S mining industry is the fifth largest contributor to the country’s economy, accounting for about 7pc of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
According to Australia’s Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, the mining industry was set to deliver a record $250b in exports last year, contributing to more than half of Australia’s total exports of goods and services.
The industry employs more than 250,000 people , and has more than 370 mining sites currently active across the country.
The mining industry in Australia started in early 1820s, and since then it has enabled Australia to become one of the world’s leading mineral resources countries.
The sector had always been regarded as a conservative and traditional, but after experiencing a turbulent year in 2016, with a range of environmental and resources challenges, more industry players have started to embrace new technologies and explore innovative opportunities in order to grow in an increasingly competitive market.
New technologies
So why exactly should players of Australia’s mining industry look into implementing new technologies?
For the past few years, the industry has been forced to explore solutions that would enable cost savings while increasing efficiency.
And it just can’t be done through traditional methods anymore.
There is also a growing demand for advanced exploration technologies and mapping accuracy to help miners overcome physical barriers.
New technologies, if implemented well, would lead to improvements in operations, which would enable increased productivity without having to spend more time and energy.
In addition, having new technology in place would also set in motion the need for a more tech-savvy human workforce to operate the equipment.
To fulfil this requirement, companies can better train their employees to upskill themselves, to become a future-ready workforce with enhanced performance and increased production efficiency.
Innovative software, rugged hardware
The environment in a mine is ever-changing and unpredictable.
It is a known fact that jobs in the mining industry are high-risk, with varying health and safety concerns.
With the advent of technology, not only do equipment used by operators have to adhere to safety standards, they would also need to withstand extreme environmental conditions.
Take, for instance, the heavy reliance of geological engineers on their devices to collect data, test minerals and verify mining maps, all done in real-time on-site.
The machines use should encompass software systems that would enable them to withstand environmental challenges such as bright sunlight or high temperatures.
Already in high-risk environments, the engineers need to be free of extra stress such as hindered display readability, loss of data, downtime due to depleting battery or prolonged hours in the mine due to technical issues that could have been easily avoided.
Devices used for operations such as drilling, testing of geological sample and analysis of mineral would also have to be rugged, resilient and robust enough to withstand potential risks like high humidity, high temperatures, accidental drops, falling rocks and more.
They should enable operators to collect, analyse, and log data faster and more efficiently, and without having to worry about replacing damaged computers or loss of data.
Another example would be the notebooks used by heavy machinery operators working in extreme conditions.
As the devices need to be connected to the in-vehicle interface and at the same time keep a record of collected data, their durability is key to not only help ensure safety of operators, but also enable them to deliver their work regardless of the unpredictable challenges they face.
Agility is key
Broader social and technology changes are set to impact the mining industry in Australia, and we are already seeing shifts in the way our customers operate.
In order to survive or even thrive in the mining industry of the future, operators would need to be agile in order to effectively adapt to changes, and some of the steps they can take are:
• Address ways to manage the stresses and strains placed on mining equipment to mitigate frequent breakdown
• Implement new technology infrastructures to maximise productivity and increase return on investments
• Learn new processes in the effect of technological advances on software, equipment and the human workforce
There is no better time than now to explore the solutions available in the market.