MINING experts want the increased usage of new technologies in the industry to enhance and improve sustainability, it has been revealed.
One such new technology is artificial intelligence (AI), as through predictive analytics, it can analyse geological data to optimise exploration and identify promising mineral deposits faster and more accurately.
Further, AI-powered equipment, like autonomous vehicles and drones, enhances productivity and reduces human risk in hazardous environments.
This was revealed at the Association of Mine Managers of Zimbabwe (AMMZ) Awards, conference and Annual General Meeting held under the theme ‘Smart Mining Intergrating Technology for Enhanced Safety, Productivity and Sustainability’, held in Bulawayo, last week.
“In the same vein, although I’m preaching to the converted who are here you can ask yourselves what more you can do for the future sustainability of our industry in integrating technology for smart mining that will ensure improved productivity and profitability?” Wits University professor Curthbert Musingwini asked, during the conference.
“And one of the things we are looking at is also to look at applications in technology such as electric vehicles.”
Other new technologies in mining include autonomous vehicles and robotics, internet of things sensors, advanced drones, blockchain technology, renewable energy solutions, and digital twins.
“We all understand that operations, mining operations, are governed by safety. Without a safe operation, there is no sustainable mining that we can talk about. So because of such concerns, smart mining comes up with a lot of solutions that are basic. Most concerns would sit in the mining environment, as well as the environmental concerns,” AMMZ president Abel Makura echoed Musingwini said.
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“We see that the industry is evolving. Responsible mining is the thing that is being spoken about. If the production of our minerals is not done in a sustainable way, that is not responsible. We are not able to be mining efficiently.
“So, those are some of the drivers that make smart mining be the thing to be talked about and then there’s cost efficiency, the need for regulatory compliance and market competition, that compels the organisations to produce competitively so that they remain competitive.”
He said as mining evolved, technology should be integrated into the industry’s processes.
Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe Executive Council member David Matyanga, however, bemoaned challenges plaguing the industry.
“The operating environment in the mining industry remains challenging on the backdrop of depressed mineral commodities, as indicated above, inadequate foreign exchange allocations, a loss of value on the surrender portion of export proceeds, as well as the high-cost structure of the mining industry,” he said.
“I think on the high-cost structure, we are aware of the high taxes. We are also aware of the high electricity tariffs that we are currently paying and we are engaging the relevant authorities on this front to try and reduce the cost structure of the industry.”
He also expressed concern over the country’s worsening power outages, as it was negatively affecting mine productivity and ease of doing business due to miners having to turn to generators.
“The situation is really quite dire, and we hope that the intervention that mines are undertaking when they are installing solar systems and diesel systems to bridge the gap between supply from the grid and the demand that they need, will in the short term be able to keep the industry running,” Matyanga said.
