A raft of highly matured existing technologies are available to miners looking to transform their operations, enhance efficiency, improve productivity, elevate safety levels and revitalise a struggling mining industry, says information technology consultancy and systems integration firm Wipro South Africa energy and natural resources director Louise Steenekamp.

She says that much has been said and written about technology’s role in rescuing the mining industry, which continues to suffer “volatile labour conditions” and rising input costs, combined with soft commodity markets worldwide.

However, Steenekamp notes that, while the technology is available, South African mining organisations are largely not ready to embrace it. “The time has come for bold, visionary leadership, for new organisational processes and new cultures that will enable new technology to flourish,” she contends.

Steenekamp believes that for digitalisation to “truly take hold” within South African mining, the industry needs to look beyond just employing technology gadgets and buzzwords. “It is essential to understand the challenges and the needs of every member in the mining value chain, from the staff at the rock face to the engineers, the managers and all the way to the executives in the boardroom suite,” she states.

Further, Steenekamp remarks that, for mining organisations, this means having a strategic information technology (IT) partner that progresses through various “deep discovery” phases to create a digital mining canvas with a broad range of staff, rather than just rushing to implement the “latest shiny technology”.

She says that through these consultations an authentic picture emerges of where IT can be deployed to solve the most critical problems staff are facing, which, depending on the return on investment, may be segmented into starter initiatives, leading or trendsetting in the industry.

“This is a far cry from the ivory tower consulting that characterised IT projects in days past. Having connected people, processes and technology and having found ways to redesign their operations where necessary, mining organisations can move on to the next step.”

Steenekamp elaborates that this involves embedding new solutions into the organisation and any broader stakeholder groups. Moreover, the dominant theme is one of collaboration between different role players and different users of the technology solutions.

She points out that mineworkers and unions may initially “baulk” at the idea of sensor-based wearable technology, rebelling against this form of surveillance. However, she says that, if the rules around data usage and privacy are crafted by multiple parties and agreed upfront, then that same technology takes on a different appearance. “It will be transformed into a simpler way for miners to perform clock-ins and better ensure their safety.”

Bigger Picture
Meanwhile, Wipro Africa business head Gavin Holme comments that it is easy to get “swept away” by the new technology. From sensors and big data, to predictive maintenance, drones, wearables, robots and artificial intelligence systems, there is a vast trove of new tools and approaches.

“But the bigger question is where all of this is leading us. The mining industry, for all its controversies, was traditionally the bedrock of South Africa’s economic development. Communities and even entire towns developed and drew life from the local mine operations,” he highlights.

Holme believes that mining houses’ responsibilities extend well beyond their own business, including local economic development programmes, skills development, sustainable farming initiatives, tourism ventures and other community endeavours.

“By passing on some of the technology-enabled efficiency gains into the communities that are affected by new styles of mining, the net effect will be a positive one. Towns will reduce their dependence on mining, as the nation’s economy at large modernises and diversifies,” he contends.

Holme says that, with positive outcomes from these undertakings by mining companies, the vision can become more than just an ideal. He believes that, with the right incentives and some “visionary leadership”, mining organisations can link the various elements of their digital journey in a way that will enable all role-players to recognise the necessity of the journey and to benefit.