by Dr Nkosi Kumalo, Managing Executive of Sales for Mining at BCX

“The mining sector was the first to open up during the lockdown as it is considered an essential service, and the sector has used this to cement solid foundations for the future,” he explains. “They made a significant contribution to the economy of the country during the first, hard lockdown, and they have subsequently benefited from the weakened Rand in terms of costs and profits. It’s a good position to be in right now, and one that the sector really needed.”

“Investment into sensors and the technology that can read and analyse the data can potentially transform how mining companies approach personal safety and production levels,” adds Kumalo. “With the right solutions, they can track their tonnage, extraction, machinery longevity, air quality and so much more. This is why we are seeing so many more mines embracing technology and having conversations around automation.”

“Automation has become such a powerful solution for the industry,” says Kumalo. “It can streamline operations, improve efficiencies, reduce costs, and ensure a more relevant distribution of labour. It gives the sector better control – a control that many mining executives want to ensure that they minimise the risks to employee and business.”

The automation gain is one opportunity, the other is to ensure that mines can flourish. When a mine sets up business, the community around it booms. People find employment in the mines, the housing market experiences an increase in sales and rentals, the small to medium enterprise finds opportunities of its own, and an entire economy rises up alongside the mine. This ecosystem of returns is of such value that it has become critical for mines to invest into solutions that help them to ensure that they remain profitable and viable.

“Mining needs to work closely with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to find innovative ways of implementing technology so as to improve access to opportunities, unpack new mining ventures, and invest into the mine of the future,” concludes Kumalo. “This is a future where the industry is defined by how proactive it is, how it uses technology to leverage the benefits of the future, and how it has moved away from the reactive approaches of the past.”