Creating the digital mine of the future

Summary

In this insightful discussion, Beth McLin, editor of Mining Magazine, interviews Glenn Kirkov, Global Industrial Principal at Aviva, about the future of mining and the digital transformation within the sector. They delve into the challenges of digitalization, workforce recruitment, climate risk, and technology integration, and how Aviva supports the industry through operational technologies, predictive analytics, and AI. The conversation highlights the importance of attracting the younger generation with innovative tech and emphasizes the role of digitalization in enhancing safety, sustainability, and efficiency in mining operations.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The future of mining is heavily reliant on digitalization, with 49% of top executives planning to include automation and digital goals in their long-term strategies.
• 💼 There is a significant challenge in attracting the younger generation to the mining industry, with 70% of individuals aged 15 to 30 unlikely to consider a career in mining.
• 🌡 Climate risk is a pressing concern for the mining sector, with 35% of CEOs anticipating high or extreme exposure to greenhouse gas emissions over the next five years.
• 🔌 The electrification of fleets and equipment is a key aspect of the digital transformation in mining, aiming to reduce environmental impact and improve sustainability.
• 🤖 Technology integration is identified as a major challenge by 74% of mining and metals executives, highlighting the need for advanced operational technologies.
• 🛠️ Aviva supports the mining industry by providing operational technologies such as data analytics, simulation tools, predictive analytics, and AI for decision-making.
• 🔑 Attracting the next generation to the industry involves changing its perception through the introduction of appealing technologies like AI, machine learning, and remote operations.
• 🏗️ The design phase of new mines or expansions should incorporate digital twin modeling and advanced simulations for efficient infrastructure planning.
• 🚀 For handover and startup, data integration and connectivity are crucial, utilizing virtual and augmented reality for training and remote operation centers for effective management.
• 🔄 Operational improvement involves automation, robotics, and predictive maintenance to ensure reliability and availability of equipment at an optimal level.
• 🔄 Continuous improvement and optimization are facilitated by real-time data analytics and AI, creating a collaborative ecosystem for data sharing and decision-making.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the content series on the electric mine?

The main focus of the content series is to discuss the future of the mine, particularly in terms of digitalization and how Aviva can support the mining sector in its digital transformation, including the electrification of fleets and equipment.

What challenges does Glenn Kirkov identify as impacting the future of the mine?

Glenn Kirkov identifies several key challenges: digitalization, workforce recruitment, climate risk related to greenhouse gas emissions, and technology integration.

Why is digitalization a significant challenge for the mining industry according to the research mentioned by Glenn?

Digitalization is a significant challenge because 49% of top executives of global mining and metals companies say they need to include automation and digital goals in their long-term corporate strategies.

What is the situation regarding the younger generation's interest in a career in mining?

70% of the younger generation aged 15 to 30 say they would probably not or will not consider a career in mining, which is the highest proportion among all industries.

How do climate risk and greenhouse gas emissions relate to the mining industry's future?

Climate risk is a significant issue for the mining industry, with 35% of Mining Company CEOs stating that their companies will be highly or extremely exposed to these risks over the next five years.

How does Aviva plan to support the mining industry with these challenges?

Aviva plans to support the mining industry by providing operational technology, data analytics, simulation tools, predictive analytics, and other digital solutions to help address the challenges and improve efficiency and sustainability.

What role can technology play in attracting younger people to the mining industry?

Technology, such as AI and machine learning, can make the mining industry more appealing to younger people by offering modern, innovative career paths and the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology.

How does remote operation of mining equipment change the perception of working in a mining company?

Remote operation allows individuals to be based in urban centers while operating machinery in mining locations, making the job safer and potentially more attractive by addressing concerns regarding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors.

What are the driving forces behind the digital model of the mine of the future as discussed in the script?

The driving forces include the initial design of mines and processing plants, handover and startup of operations, ramping up to full production, and ongoing optimization, all supported by advanced technologies like digital twins, virtual reality, and predictive maintenance.

What solutions does Aviva offer to support the different aspects of the future digital mine?

Aviva offers a unified engineering platform with 3D CAD and simulation tools, a connect platform for data collection and analytics, a production management solution for tracking material movement, and AI for decision-making and ongoing optimization.

What benefits can companies expect from running a digital mine?

Benefits include optimizing energy balance, improving operational efficiency, enhancing equipment reliability and availability through predictive maintenance, and improving safety by removing people from harm's way.

What advice would Glenn give to a company looking to start their digitization journey, especially in electrifying their fleet?

Glenn would advise companies to establish a solid and robust infrastructure that can be built upon in the future, and not to wait but to start the journey now with the help of a roadmap of solutions and phases.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Future of Mining and Digitalization

The video script introduces a content series on the electric mine, featuring Beth McLin, editor of Mining Magazine, and Glenn Kirkov, Global Industrial Principal of Mining, Metals, and Minerals at Aviva. They discuss the future of mining, focusing on digitalization and how Aviva can support the industry in this journey. Key challenges are identified, including the need for automation and digital goals in corporate strategies, workforce recruitment issues, climate risk concerns related to greenhouse gas emissions, and the integration of technology. Aviva's role in providing operational technology, data analytics, simulation tools, and predictive analytics to address these challenges is highlighted.

05:00

🚀 Attracting the Next Generation and Technology Integration

This paragraph delves into the importance of attracting the younger generation to the mining industry by changing its perception through the use of data, analytics, simulation, and artificial intelligence. The script discusses the potential of remote operations, which allow for the operation of mining equipment from urban centers, possibly increasing safety and addressing ESG concerns. The conversation also touches on the driving forces behind the future digital mine, including the initial design of mines and processing plants, the use of digital twin modeling and advanced simulations, and the importance of data integration and connectivity for handover and startup operations.

10:02

🛠️ Solutions for the Digital Mine of the Future

The script outlines specific solutions offered by Aviva to support the digital transformation of mines. These include a unified engineering platform with 3D CAD simulation tools and digital twin design for data collection and modeling. For handover and startup, a connect platform is mentioned, which is a cloud-based solution for data collection and analytics. Aviva's production management solution is highlighted for tracking material movement and improving operational efficiency. Lastly, the ongoing optimization is supported by the connect platform, which integrates data analytics and artificial intelligence for decision-making.

15:02

🌱 Benefits of a Digital Mine and Starting the Digitization Journey

The final paragraph discusses the benefits of running a digital mine, such as optimizing energy balance, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing equipment reliability and availability. Safety is emphasized as a key advantage, with technology helping to remove people from harm's way. The script concludes with advice for companies looking to start their digitization journey, suggesting that they establish a robust infrastructure as a foundation for future growth. Aviva offers to work with customers to analyze their current situation and create a roadmap for their digital transformation, emphasizing the importance of beginning the journey now rather than waiting.

Keywords

💡Digitalization

Digitalization refers to the integration of digital technologies into various aspects of a business to improve efficiency and productivity. In the context of the video, digitalization in mining is a key challenge and opportunity, with 49% of top executives needing to include automation and digital goals in their strategies. The script mentions the importance of digital technologies for the future of mining, including operational technology, data analytics, and simulation tools.

💡Workforce and Recruiting

Workforce and recruiting pertain to the processes of finding, hiring, and training employees. The video highlights a significant challenge in the mining industry: attracting younger generations to consider careers in mining. It is mentioned that 70% of individuals aged 15 to 30 would not consider mining as a career path, which poses a significant issue for the industry's future workforce.

💡Climate Risk

Climate risk encompasses the potential financial and operational impacts of climate change on businesses. The script discusses how 35% of Mining Company CEOs see their companies as highly or extremely exposed to climate risks over the next five years, particularly in relation to greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring the urgency for the industry to address environmental concerns.

💡Technology Integration

Technology integration is the process of combining various technological systems and tools to work together seamlessly. The script points out that 74% of Mining and metals executives identify integrating technology as one of their key challenges. This concept is central to the video's theme, as the mining industry must effectively integrate new technologies to remain competitive and sustainable.

💡Electrification of Fleets and Equipment

Electrification of fleets and equipment refers to the transition from traditional fuel-powered machinery to electric-powered alternatives. The script discusses this as a significant aspect of the digital and environmental transformation in the mining sector, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve sustainability.

💡Operational Technology

Operational technology (OT) involves the hardware and software used to monitor and control equipment in industrial settings. In the script, Aviva is described as providing operational technology to the mining sector, which includes data analytics, simulation tools, and predictive analytics to help mining companies address their challenges.

💡Data Analytics

Data analytics is the process of examining data sets to draw conclusions about the information they contain. The video emphasizes the role of data analytics in the mining industry's digital transformation, with Aviva offering solutions to collect and analyze data for operational improvements and decision-making.

💡Predictive Maintenance

Predictive maintenance is a proactive approach to equipment maintenance based on data analysis to predict potential failures before they occur. The script mentions predictive maintenance as a way to ensure the reliability and availability of equipment in the mining industry, contributing to operational efficiency and safety.

💡Remote Operations

Remote operations involve managing and controlling industrial processes from a distance, often using digital technologies. The video script discusses the potential of remote operations to change the perception of mining as a career, making it safer and more appealing to younger generations by allowing operation from urban centers.

💡ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)

ESG refers to the criteria used to measure a company's commitment to environmental, social, and governance factors. The script touches on ESG as a concern for the younger generation and suggests that technology can help mining companies improve their ESG performance, making the industry more attractive to potential employees.

💡Continuous Improvement and Optimization

Continuous improvement and optimization refer to ongoing efforts to enhance processes and systems for better performance. The video script describes the importance of this concept in the mining industry, with Aviva's solutions supporting real-time or continual optimization through cloud data analytics and artificial intelligence.

Highlights

Introduction to the electric mine content series by Beth McLin, editor of Mining Magazine.

Glenn Kirkov, Global Industrial Principal of Mining, Metal and Minerals at Aviva, discusses the future of the mine and digitalization.

49% of top executives of global mining companies include automation and digital goals in their long-term strategies.

70% of the younger generation (15 to 30 years old) are unlikely to consider a career in mining.

35% of Mining Company CEOs expect high or extreme exposure to climate risk over the next 5 years.

74% of Mining and Metals Executives see technology integration as a key challenge.

Aviva's role in supporting the mining industry with operational technology, data analytics, and predictive tools.

Attracting the younger generation to the mining industry through AI, machine learning, and remote operations.

The importance of technology in making mining safer and more appealing to the next generation of workers.

Driving forces of the future digital mine include initial design, handover and startup, ramping up to full production, and ongoing optimization.

Aviva's unified engineering platform includes 3D CAD, simulation tools, and digital twin for data collection and modeling.

The Connect platform by Aviva for data collection, analytics, and visualization from multiple sources.

Aviva Production Management Solution for tracking material movement and improving efficiency.

Benefits of running a digital mine include optimizing energy balance, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing safety.

Advice for companies starting their digitization journey, emphasizing the importance of a solid infrastructure.

Aviva's approach to helping customers analyze their current situation and create a roadmap for digitization.

Encouragement for companies to start their digitization journey now rather than waiting to figure everything out at once.

Transcripts

so welcome um to our content series on

the electric mine I'm Beth mclin editor

of mining magazine and I'm here today

with Glenn kirkov who is global

industrial principal of mining metal and

metals and minerals at Aviva and we're

going to be talking today about the

future of the mine and how that's

digital and how a Viva specifically can

support people going through that

digitalization journey in the sector and

um including the electrification of

fleets and Equipment um this is a um

video which we've done in conjunction

with mining magazine and also Australian

mining monthly so welcome Glenn and

thank you for joining us um to start off

with um I just wondered if we could get

your perspective on what some of the

main challenges are for the mining

industry today from your

perspective yeah thanks Beth um yes so

today we see a number of challenges in

the industry um that are really really

going to impact U where the future of

the mine will be um and so high level um

I wanted to just mention a few of the

the key uh challenges that we have

identified um the first one is around

digitalization in mining um we see um

through our research here that

49% of top Executives of global mining

companies Mining and metals companies um

they say that they need to include

Automation and digital goals in their

long-term corporate

strategies uh

secondly um is around the the topic of

Workforce and recruiting um and this is

not a a great situation but you know

what we've identified here is that that

70% of younger generation of 15 to 30

year olds say they would probably not or

will not consider a career in mining um

and this is the highest proportion of

all

Industries um the third topic here is

around climate risk and really this is

very much related to uh to greenhouse

gas emissions um and 35% of Mining

Company CEOs have said that their

companies will be highly or extremely

exposed over the next 5 years and then

the the last Point really is around

technology

integration um and what we've we've

looked at here is um that there's a

figure of 74% of of Mining and metals

Executives have said that integrating

technology is one of the key challenges

that they face um for the

industry so lots of challenges there

lots to do um how is a Eva supporting

the the industry in turning some of

these into opportunities perhaps from

the Aviva perspective um Aviva's a a

technology company that provides uh

different types of Technology

operational type Technologies into the

mining metals and minerals industry and

in order to address some of these key

challenges we see that the the the the

mine of the Future Would will need to be

highly digital um to be able to to take

on these challenges and that digital

technology is part of what AV via

provides um in terms of operational

technology data analytics simulation

tools um Predictive Analytics tools and

and so being able to to take the Aviva

technology and implement it at some of

the mining companies to help address

some of these challenges is where we see

a Viva um helping the industry

and it's interesting um talking about

technology because that kind of focus

might help younger people perhaps make

the decision actually to go into the

industry because if they can learn about

things like Ai and machine learning um

that's quite appealing for any career I

would

imagine yes exactly if we think back to

the you know the topic of how the

younger generation are looking at mining

as a as a career we need to think of

ways to attract people into mining for

the for the future and that really means

um trying to change the perception of

the the the mining industry so with

things like data and analytics and

simulation and artificial intelligence

you know these are all topics that um

you know we feel that will attract

people to the industry you know mining

is a it's a challenging it's a

challenging industry right you're

digging material out of the around to

provide the necessary materials you know

for our modern standard of living and

and in particular for the for the

reduction of greenhouse gases um and so

attracting people into the industry is

important um and having things like data

and analytics um as as one of those

types of um career uh moves would be

very attractive to to some of the the

next generation of Workforce and then

the other point to to the technology

aspect here is that the remote

operations um where people can actually

be involved in the operation of a a mine

in a remote location but themselves be

based in an urban center you know in

effect running a machine or operating a

machine at at some other location we see

that this is something that will change

the dynamic in terms of what it means to

be working at a Mining

Company so it could be much safer and

also it may address the concerns perhaps

that the younger generation have

regarding ESG if we're actually able to

use technology to to improve on that

score yes that's right and the safety is

an important aspect because you know if

we can get people out of Harm's Way uh

by using technology to for Automation

and Robotics I mean this is this is also

an important step um in in in making

sure the mining is sustainable in the

future and so if if the M of the future

is um this Digital model that we've

talked about um what are its driving

forces we we see poy areas um where the

the driving forces as you put it you

know will will direct the mine of the

future the the first one is around the

the initial design of the mine and the

processing plant um and so this would be

um relevant to new mines that are

starting up or for expansions of

existing mines and what we see there is

you know diff different Technologies for

the design and and building of the um of

the the infrastructure for doing things

like digital twin modeling and then also

for running things like Advanced

simulation to make sure that the the the

um the infrastructure and the uh the

plant and the equipment that is put into

place Place uh will work uh secondly we

see um this whole topic of hand over and

startup of the operation and so what we

want to do here is make sure that we

have proper data uh integration and

connectivity to all of the different uh

plant and equipment and and other

aspects of the mine we're looking at

things like virtual reality and

augmented reality for training of The

Operators and the and

management um and then things like

remote operating centers and and remote

control centers you know to make sure

that that those systems are up and

running and working effectively in the

third area we're looking at ramping up

to full production and so this is you

know looking at things like Automation

and Robotics to make sure that those uh

components are working as they're

supposed to things like predictive

maintenance you know to make to ensure

that the the the reliability and the

availability of the equipment in the

plant is at the optimum level and then

ultimately things like continuous

Improvement and

optimization and then finally um what we

call ongoing optimization and so this is

really running an optimization of the

operations on a real-time basis or a

continual basis doing things like cloud

data analytics using artificial

intelligence for decision making and

making sure that we have a collaborative

ecosystem of Partners and customers you

know for for data sharing to make sure

that we're operating at the optimum

level fantastic and could you just talk

us through some of the solutions that

you offer that help um with these four

aspects of the future digital mind some

of the solutions that Aviva off offers

um to start with we have our um our um

unified engineer ing platform um of

offerings um which is including things

like three-dimensional CAD um simulation

tools um and then the design of the the

digital twin for data collection and

data modeling um so all sits under our

engineering

portfolio uh for things like um Handover

and startup uh we have our connect uh

platform uh which is a cloud-based

platform to collect data from multiple

sources into a single single data

repository where we can start to run

analytics for improvement and

visualization for dashboards and reports

um and this includes our PI um data

system which is the for the collection

of real time um data his time series

data from different aspects of the

operation whether it's mining or the

processing plan plant or transport

Logistics um in the area of operational

Improvement um we have the Aviva

production management solution um which

is collecting data from the the the

movement of material from the mine you

know through the mining process into the

processing plant to produce the the the

concentrate and then the transport and

and Logistics of moving that material

onto the to the port or to the

metallurgical plant and then you know

finally into a finished product for the

customer so this is under our Ava

production management portfolio and then

for ongoing

optimization um we have uh the the the

connect platform or the connect solution

which is for the data analytics um and

for the um um artificial intelligent for

the decision making and this connect

platform is pulling data from all of the

different systems together and from

external data suppliers to provide that

information that that data and

information that is required to to run

the mine in the

future and what are some of the benefits

um that companies can see of running a

digital mine in this

way yeah so some of the the core

benefits of course is being firstly to

optimize the the energy balance right

and so this is looking at how do we use

energy for all of the different aspects

of the mind and make sure we're

optimizing or in fact minimizing the

amount of energy that we are using to

produce the the final product and being

able to balance that energy between um

different energy

sources um so the whole energy piece is

is key of course for for the future

reduction of greenhouse gases um then

secondly on the operational side uh we

have you know things like like the um

the Improvement of

operations through um maximizing

utilization and efficiency of the

equipment and some of this will also tie

into to automation um and then we also

have the um the area of reliability and

availability so using predictive

maintenance to help give those insights

to allow maintenance departments to to

to maintain their equipment at the

highest levels of of availability um I

guess on the other side that I wanted to

mention is around safety um safety of

course is a key issue and as I mentioned

before removing people from Harm's Way

is one of the the the fundamental areas

or fundamental issues with safety is

just not putting people into Harm's Way

But secondly looking at the the data

associated with the operation of plant

and equipment and how some of those

situations that may be unsafe can be

identified and then um REM the the risk

of those situations of occurring be

having those be removed from the um from

the operations to keep people

safe I mean it's it's hard to argue with

that list of benefits and advantages um

what would you say to a company that

comes to you and says they would like to

start on a digitization journey perhaps

they're looking to Electrify their Fleet

um but they're not yet there yet and

they don't really know where to start

and they want to take the first step

yeah this is a good question and and we

do hear this a lot um you know most

mining companies out there realize they

they need to to to change the way their

operations are working in the future

especially to meet the greenhouse gas

emissions that were that one of the

fundamental challenges um we we have a

lot of customers that that don't know

where to start they know they need to

change um you know from aiva we would

recommend that it's important to make

sure we put in place um an

infrastructure a solid and robust

infrastructure that would be will be

sustainable into the future and allow

for different types of data to be to be

imported and analyzed to produce

different uh efficiency gains and so

that architecture is something we would

say not to wait on you know the

important thing is to get going but to

make sure that we that the framework or

the the architecture in place can be

built upon with future future areas you

know in the years ahead um at aiva we

offer the capability to go and meet with

our customers to analyze their current

situation and then to look at putting

together a road map of solutions and

phases starting with that infrastructure

that I mentioned you know to to to start

the journey now instead of waiting to

try to figure it all out at once so that

that's probably where I would um what

the comments I would make on you know

getting getting things going now rather

than

waiting that's great and and obviously

that should um give people some hope

that it's worth getting started on that

journey and that the support is there um

thank you ever so much for your time and

for those that fascinating insights Clen

thank you okay thank you Ben