A new drilling approach, an artificial intelligence (AI) solution for mineral processing and an Internet of Things (IoT) application for conveyors will go head to head in this weekend's live finale of the #DisruptMining finale in Toronto.

The three innovations have been selected as the finalists in the competition, which Goldcorp is co-hosting with KPMG at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada convention.

TSX-listed gold miner Anaconda Mining will pitch its drilling approach, Andritz its AI solution and Voith Turbo its IoT application. Goldcorp has committed the opportunity to negotiate for $1-million toward a proof of concept or direct investment in the winning technology. 

Anaconda has developed an innovative, two-stage drilling method that enables economic mining of narrow-vein deposits. The technology, known as Sustainable Mining by Drilling (SMD), was developed in collaboration with Memorial University of Newfoundland. SMD has the potential to unlock value in existing deposits that were previously thought to be uneconomic to mine using traditional underground or surface mining methods. The developers also expect this technology could extend the life of current operations by allowing safe excavation to occur beyond the limits of current designs.

Andritz has developed a unique and continuous way of training AI to operate a mineral processing facility using its digital twin. The AI is trained to respond to a variety of situations, making it capable of adapting to changing inputs and improving upset recovery time. The trained AI's ability to quickly process information and recommend data-driven solutions will allow for the improvement of the operation, such as start-up and shutdown, and assist operators to achieve plant-wide optimisation.

Voith Turbo’s IoT application BeltGenius creates a digital twin of belt conveyors, which provides real-time insight into the behaviour of the operation. Resulting from a constant learning system, this information is used to identify potential risks and inefficiencies, allowing for greater uptime, more efficient energy use, predictive maintenance and optimization of weight and speed. With BeltGenius, mine sites can operate their belt conveyors with greater control and consistency, increasing their savings on repairs and material transportation costs while reducing the environmental impact of traditional haul trucks.

Deciding the fate of the three finalists will be Ian Telfer, chairperson of Goldcorp and acclaimed mining industry titan, Katie Valentine, partner at KPMG Australia and global head of mining consulting; Sue Paish, CEO of Canada's Digital Technology Supercluster; Jacob Yeung, University of British Columbia student and #DisruptMining UBC captain; and returning #DisruptMining judge Wal van Lierop, president and CEO of Chrysalix Venture Capital.