PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Mining giant Rio Tinto on Monday reported that investment into new mining technology and innovation should sustain long-term competitiveness, while also providing broader economic benefits from a strong mining industry.

In a report commissioned by Rio Tinto, the miner noted that while the costs and challenges of automation in the mining sector were substantial, they were potentially far outweighed by the benefits that could be delivered.

“The ‘BAEconomics’ report highlights the increasingly complex challenges being faced by the mining industry. Our industry is facing maturing orebodies, fewer tier-one deposits, increasingly complex geographies and labour shortages and the report details how innovation in autonomous technologies can play an important role in addressing these challenges,” said Rio’s head of innovation, John McGagh.

He noted that the technologies currently being tested cemented Rio’s position in the field of mining innovation.

“In iron-ore, we are introducing automated trucks, blast-hole drill rigs, sorting machines and trains, all of which are capable of being controlled by our operations center in Perth, which already integrates our port, rail and mine logistics,” said McGagh.

He added that Rio’s research partnerships were also assisting in this endeavour, with the Rio Tinto Centre for Mine Automation, established at the University of Sydney, being one of five global research center links with universities.

“These research centers bring together the experience and know-how of our own technology and mining professionals with some of the best academic minds to achieve changes that are transforming the way mining, processing and energy are approached,” McGagh said.

Rio’s Mine of the Future programme has been running for the past four years, and was aimed at finding advanced ways to mine and extract minerals more efficiently, while reducing environmental impacts and improving safety.

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