The integration of data and technology across the mining value chain has the potential to improve predictability, consistency and safety across mines in Africa, BME technology and marketing GM Nishen Hariparsad said during the company’s annual Technical Summit, held at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research International Convention Centre, in Pretoria, on October 28.

In his presentation titled, ‘Connecting Mining in Practice: Drill to Plant Integration’, Hariparsad highlighted the importance of mining stakeholders being able to connect information from different stages of mining rather than arbitrarily deploying digital technologies in isolation.

“Blasting has moved from an operational process to a very data-driven process. We are now seeing the value of data, the extraction of data and the value it delivers downstream.

“The advancements in robotics, digitisation, automation and AI are empowering us with more information to make better decisions and better decisions impact the whole [mining] value chain,” he said.

However, Hariparsad cautioned that technology and data-driven initiatives often remain fragmented across mining operations, thereby limiting the ability to deliver on their full potential.

He added that ‘connected mining’ required identifying the information needed to support key operational decisions and ensuring that the context of mining operations and environments are retained, especially as information moves between planning and execution.

Moreover, he noted that data from geology, engineering and operational activities could provide valuable insights, but its usefulness depended on how effectively this was interpreted and integrated.

Hariparsad also emphasised the importance of consistency and repeatability across changing geological conditions, arguing that connecting mining technology systems should support measurable operational and value chain improvements without compromising safety.

Additionally, he argued that technology should be accessible to a broader range of mining operators, rather than benefitting only large producers with the resources to adopt advanced blasting and explosive solutions.

At this year’s Technical Summit, BME showcased the AXXIS Electronic Detonators and VIPERTRON Electronic Initiation System, with the latter representing a more economical route into electronic initiation technology for mining operations that might otherwise face cost barriers to adoption.

RESILIENCE AMID GLOBAL VOLATILITY
The importance of technology integration and adaptability was also reflected by Omnia Holdings CEO Seelan Gobalsamy, under the presentation theme of ‘From Global Volatility to Strategic Optionality: Why Resilience Matters More Than Ever’.

He said geopolitical tensions, climate change, commodity price fluctuations and disruptions to global supply chains were creating an increasingly uncertain operating environment for the mining and agriculture sectors.

He highlighted the challenges experienced in blasting and explosives as a result of disruptions in the supply of key inputs, including ammonia and sulphur, as well as higher fuel and transportation costs.

“When I stood here last year, we spoke a little bit about change. We spoke about similar dimensions of volatility, uncertainty and complexity around the world, and 12 to 18 months later, all we see is that change is faster and it requires us to be more adaptable, more change-ready,” Gobalsamy said.

He also argued that companies in these sectors needed to build what he terms as ‘strategic optionality’, which is the financial and operational capacity to respond to changing geopolitical and domestic circumstances by diversifying sourcing, maintaining adequate product inventories, investing in infrastructure and developing formidable multistakeholder partnerships.

“In the long term, partnerships and the ability to work together and the ability to add value to customers across the world will be what distinguishes us and we will continue to build global partners in technology, process, and innovation.

“We will take the best of Africa to the world and bring the best of the world into Africa,” Gobalsamy concludes.