Surveys and mining industry experts have found that less than one percent of all data collected by mining information devices is used within the actual industrial space. This is likely due to apprehension and fear surrounding the implementation of , which utilizes complex systems like cloud computing, cyber-physical systems, the Internet of things, and more to create a “smart factory.” As automation and smart computing come further into play for mining operations, the generation and use of data becomes more complicated and important. It’s becoming clear as more mining systems shift to Industry 4.0, the wave of the future for many industries, that much more value can be added to mining systems that use automation and control devices and systems to form a “connected mine.”
What does it mean to have a connected mine? Management can extract much more value from a mining system that communicates all relevant data and uses it to the advantage of the mining company. Connected mines, in this context, provide huge advantages to executives and managers because it creates a greater predictability of future business performance, allows for the installation of the most effective cost-cutting initiatives, and provide a clearer vision for crucial capital investment decisions.
In many cases, the data needed to create a connected, smart mine is already there. In most mining operations, the equipment is already there doing what it’s supposed to do, so it’s not a matter of pouring huge investments into new and better machinery, it’s about utilizing what is already there and working better—a much cheaper and simpler proposition than replacing all equipment and systems in a mine entirely.
Organizing this data and delivering real-time updates on information in and around a mine is what a connected mine is all about. Executives and managers have to be able to make decisions based on accurate, transparent, fast information in real time. Organizing all of this data into usable bits is how mining operations can leverage their connected mine to act quicker and make better decisions at an organizational level.
Predictive maintenance can avert production shortfalls and allow for contingency plans to be set up. This moves target guidance and performance closer together, allowing guidance to be more receptive to changing market factors and to internal business changes and mechanisms.
Using the data available in a smarter way can also drive smarter capital spending. Knowing how much to spend, when to spend it, and in which area of a mining operation can make all the difference in the success or failure of the operation. This eliminates the guesswork and the shaky predictions. Mines can be unpredictable, but with the wealth of data already there, all managers need is a way to break that data down and use it.
The data is already being generated. The numbers are there to tell managers what they need to know. In order to take advantage of this data, mines need to be smart and connected with advanced, easy-to-use information technology.
