Mining - May 2022 by Mining Global

May 2022 | miningglobal.com

SafeAI and MACA make in-roads with autonomous technology

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The Mining Team EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DOMINIC ELLIS TOM SWALLOW EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

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FOREWORD

Ferrexpo meets humanitarian and economic needs “Ferrexpo’s iron ore pellet production totalled 2.7mn tonnes in Q1 2022, which was in line with the same period in 2021 – but the situation remains complex and changeable”

These are testing times for Ferrexpo, one of the largest employers in central Ukraine. Its primary focus is securing the wellbeing of its 10,000 staff, families and communities – and providing accommodation and assistance to over 1,400 refugees displaced as a result of the war. By mid-March it increased the level of approved funding for its Humanitarian Fund to an impressive US$7.5mn. Alongside its humanitarian support, it has another key focus: simply to keep operations running as smoothly as possible. Its iron ore pellet production totalled 2.7mn tonnes in Q1 2022, which was in line with the same period in 2021 – but the situation remains complex and changeable, and logistics remain challenging with the port of Pivdennyi closing. As the conflict persists, the mining community and Ferrexpo’s diverse network of customers must continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in support. Enjoy the issue.

MINING MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BY

DOMINIC ELLIS

dominic.ellis@bizclikmedia.com

miningdigital.com

CONTENTS

Our Regular Upfront Section: 10 Big Picture 12 The Brief 14 Timeline: First Tin targets sustainable tin demand 16 Trailblazer: Lukas Lundin 18 Five Minutes With: Dan Myerson

Smart Mining

Sandvik andBoliden trial 3D printing in mining

Custom persona-based industrial IoT

Reinventing the wheel in an evolving industry

Hitachi Vantara

GACW

Expanding copper mining’s sustainability framework

Making technology the future of mining

Supply Chain

Newmont

AI-powered autonomy transforms mining

Data-driven commodities digital transformation

Automation

Technology

Digital partnerships and imaging tools boost mining efficiency

CRU Group

108 Top 10

Copper producers worldwide

P RE SE NTS:

Discussing how to support women in STEM, build the talent pipeline and inspire the next generation of female leaders.

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May 2022

SCANIA 560 R XT Sweden

Haulier Fermgruppen is testing a 13-litre Scania 560 R XT, with G33 Gearbox in Sweden – and the early signs are fuel consumption is 20% lower than other trucks on the same route. Notifications for final felling increased by 6% in 2021, according to the Swedish Forest Agency Skogsstyrelsen. miningdigital.com

THE BRIEF “Additive manufacturing shows a lot of potential … through reduced or eliminated need for transport and storage of parts, and also shorter delivery times” Ronne Hamerslag

Head of Supply Management, Boliden  READ MORE

“As much as there is an increase in demand, there is also increase in demand for responsiblyproduced materials” Michèle Brülhart

Executive Director, Copper Mark  READ MORE

“The mining sector is hungry for solutions that improve safety, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and improve profitability” Dr Andrew Job

CEO and Co-founder, Plotlogic  READ MORE

May 2022

Mining giant Rio Tinto joins Russia exodus Background Anglo-Australian mining group Rio Tinto has joined the lengthening list of major companies to pull out of Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. What are the implications? The group's decision to end commercial dealings leaves question marks over its Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold project in Mongolia, where it buys Russian diesel, as well as its partnership with Rusal, the Russian aluminium group, in Australia, where the companies co-own the Queensland Alumina refinery. In January, the Oyu Tolgoi Board approved the beginning of a near US$7bn-expansion of underground operations, unlocking the most valuable part of the mine, with sustainable underground production expected in the first half of 2023. How else might minerals’ market be impacted? Russia's abundant supplies of minerals such as nickel could have knock-on effects in other areas, including electric vehicles. Rio Tinto is supporting the development of a battery ecosystem in Europe with an investment in Inobat Auto, a European-based battery technology and manufacturing company. Rio Tinto isn’t the only company impacted, though: Canadian gold miner Kinross has announced a ‘transition plan’ to sell its Russian assets. Why is Rio Tinto enhancing its ESG profile? A damaging report found bullying, sexual harassment, racism and other forms of discrimination systemic across its worksites, with almost half of workers experiencing bullying. The report, which outlines 26 detailed recommendations, will inform work being carried out to improve how the company prevents and responds to discrimination and unacceptable workplace behaviour. Rio Tinto said it will implement all recommendations.

Methane emissions from Kazakhstan mine ‘equal to 2.6m cars’ Methane emissions released by an open cast mine in Kazakhstan totalled 54,000 kg/hr in the first two months of this year, according to satellite observations by GHGSat, an environmental monitoring company. READ MORE

Polymetal considers demerging Kazakhstan business Polymetal is considering demerging its Kazakhstan business into a separate listed company, as its new board grapples with major economic challenges presented by Russian market volatility and the ongoing war in Ukraine. READ MORE

Royal Mint plant to recover gold from electronic wastes The Royal Mint has announced plans to build a plant in South Wales that will recover gold from UK electronic waste, using patented new chemistry created by Canadian-based Excir. READ MORE

 BOLIDEN A 74-tonne Scania electrified truck will be delivered to mining company Boliden this spring. The heavy transport electrified vehicle is a key element in the mining company's strategy to cut CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030.  CENTAMIN Gold producer Centamin recorded a pre-tax profit of US$154mn last year. CEO Martin Horgan said it safely delivered annual production and cost guidance, making "excellent progress" on key capital projects..  ALROSA Alrosa stepped down from the Responsible Jewellery Council board after being placed on the US sanctions list but remains committed to the RJC’s “highest standards of responsible business practices and sustainability pledges”.  GLOBAL METHANE EMISSIONS Global methane emissions from the extraction of coal could rise by 21.6% if all new mining projects now under development go into operation, according to a Global Energy Monitor report.

W I N N E R S MAY22

L O S E R S miningdigital.com

TIMELINE

TARGETS SUSTAINABLE TIN DEMAND FIRST TIN is led by an experienced team of tin specialists committed to the environmentally-sensitive, low-carbon development of advanced hard rock tin projects in conflict-free, low-political-risk jurisdictions 14

May 2022

2025

2030

Production target

Uses of Tin

First Tin has raised £20mn to execute its plan to bring its two 100%-owned tin mines (Tellerhäuser Project in Saxony, Germany, and the Taronga Project in New South Wales, Australia) into production before the end of 2025.

Demand for semiconductors is surging, and the global semiconductor market is projected to double in the next five years (from approximately $400bn in 2021 to $803bn in 2028). In addition, EV sales are expected to reach 50% share by 2030.

2050

2060

Tin – a critical raw material

Global raw material consumption doubles

ERMA has identified tin from conflict-free sources that can be used as a critical raw material to support the EU’s intention of becoming climateneutral by 2050.

The world’s consumption of raw materials is set to nearly double by 2060 as the global economy expands and living standards rise, placing twice the pressure on the environment that we are seeing today, according to an OECD report. miningdigital.com

TRAILBLAZER

Lukas Lu DRIVING VISION FROM SMALL METALS MINER TO GLOBAL OPERATION

Lukas Lundin, Chair of Lundin Mining Corporation, retires after providing strong leadership and vision during the last 28 years

ukas Lundin recently retired as Chair at Lundin Mining Corporation. During his tenure, the company has grown from a small team with an exploration property in 1994, to a leading global base metal producer with five operations comprising over 11,000 people. The diversified Canadian base metals mining company has operations in Brazil, Chile, Portugal, Sweden and the US, primarily producing copper (70% of 2021 sales), zinc (9%), nickel (8%) and gold (7%). Ashley Heppenstall, Lead Director of Lundin Mining' Board, thanked Lukas for the invaluable strategic guidance and perspective he has provided as Chair. "His strong vision and leadership have been paramount to the company's success," he said. Peter Rockandel, Lundin Mining's President and CEO, echoed the sentiments, thanking his many years of counsel and support provided to the Board and leadership team as Lundin Mining has grown. "The company and our many stakeholders have benefitted immensely from his pursuit of highly prospective

May 2022

opportunities, as well as his insights and experience, shared over a lifetime of success leading many natural resources companies. Lundin Mining is well positioned to continue to deliver on his vision." Lundin said he was very proud of the many successes Lundin Mining has achieved over the past nearly three decades, though there is still much to accomplish. "The outlook for base metals is very constructive and I am fully confident that the culture, leadership, people and prospects are in place for Lundin Mining to continue building on its positive legacy," he said. After graduating from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (Engineering), he has been responsible for various resource discoveries, including the multi-million-ounce Veladero gold deposit. He has also led numerous companies through very profitable business acquisitions and mergers, including the US$9.2bn sale of Red Back Mining, and he currently sits on the Board of a number of publicly-traded companies.

undin His departure coincides with other significant changes at board level — Director Peter Jones retired at the 2022 Annual Meeting, with Juliana (Julie) Lam appointed to the Board of Directors. Adam Lundin, currently the President, CEO and a director of Josemaria Resources, will be proposed as a director nominee to stand for election at the upcoming annual meeting of shareholders. Lam brings extensive executive-level financial leadership and board experience in diverse industries and valuable new perspectives, while Adam Lundin's experience within natural resources industries and intimate knowledge of Josemaria Resources, its projects and Argentina, will make him another strong addition.

FIVE MINUTES WITH...

DAN MYERSON DAN MYERSON, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF FORAN MINING, REFLECTS ON HIS WORK AT FORAN MINING AND THE STEPS IT TOOK TO BECOME THE FIRST CARBON NEUTRAL COPPER MINING COMPANY Q. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND HOW YOU BECAME INVOLVED WITH FORAN MINING?

Q. WHAT WERE THE INITIAL OPPORTUNITIES IDENTIFIED AT MCILVENNA BAY, AND CURRENT AND FUTURE PROSPECTS?

as head of Glencore’s Canadian zinc business, developing global experience in the metals and mining sector; including refined metal and concentrates trading, mining and smelting operations, and capital markets. Oil was the key asset during the automobile revolution, and we believe copper will be the prominent asset driving the clean energy revolution as the world targets decarbonisation. Joining Foran and working on the McIlvenna Bay project presented the perfect opportunity for me to help take proven sustainable processes and technologies and combine them with a circular economy framework to create a model for responsible, low carbon mining that can be replicated across the world.

undeveloped VHMS deposit located in the Hanson Lake District, Saskatchewan, Canada, along the world-renowned Flin Flon Greenstone Belt. The copper/zinc/gold/silver deposit currently hosts an Indicated resource of 39.1Mt at 1.2% copper, 2.2% zinc, 0.4 g/t gold and 14 g/t silver (2.04% copper equivalent). In February 2022, Foran announced its initial phase Feasibility Study results that outlined a C$1.5B pre-tax NPV7% at current commodity prices. The project is in a world-class jurisdiction, as Saskatchewan ranks #3 on Fraser Institute’s 2020 list for mining investment, given its leading government public policy factors and robust infrastructure. We are just scratching the surface within the Hanson Lake District could

» Before joining Foran, I served

» McIlvenna Bay is the largest

miningdigital.com

FIVE MINUTES WITH...

provide; and our expansion drill program is expected to discover, define and expand additional resources in an effort to create a multi-decade operation.

Q. YOU HAVE ANNOUNCED IT HAS BECOME THE 'FIRST CARBON NEUTRAL COPPER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT' - WHAT WAS THE PROCESS TO CARBON NEUTRALITY?

» In 2021, we became the world’s first carbon-neutral copper development project, having calculated and offset the total emissions for exploration over ten years, including land-use changes, fuel use for exploration and travel-related emissions. This was undertaken in alignment with the ISO 14064-1 standard and 20

May 2022

GHG Protocol Corporate Standard. Our goal is to develop McIlvenna Bay to achieve net zero carbon goals, largely achieved with the use of hydroelectric power, battery electric vehicles and carbon sequestration. Foran’s approach to mining and production is inspired by the UN SDGs and the Doughnut Economics framework that presents a circular economy carbon neutral model.

Q. WILL YOU LOOK TO ADOPT THE SAME PROCESSES IN MAKING YOUR OTHER COPPER DEPOSIT OPERATIONS CARBON NEUTRAL?

» We will have the same approach

of ensuring all our copper deposits are carbon neutral as we expand our international presence.

company. Because of our planned use of renewable energy and electric vehicles and next generation tech we are talking to people in a huge range of sectors not usually interested or affiliated with mining such as global organisations like the UN.

Q. WHAT OTHER PARTNERSHIPS ARE YOU DEVELOPING AND HOW D THEY DRIVE MUTUAL BENEFIT?

» We are working in close

partnerships to create a sense of ownership for our projects with the local communities to ensure the longevity of projects. This will allow communities to prosper from stable revenues and circular economies and create highvalue jobs and transferable skills not just in the traditional mining sphere but also in areas such as tech and wildlife conservation which can outlive the life of a mine. In 2021, we announced a C$100M private placement by Fairfax Holdings to help advance and execute on our vision to develop a net zero carbon

Q. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE KEY LEARNING POINTS FOR OTHER MINING COMPANIES WHEN PURSUING CARBON NEUTRALITY? ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC THAT THE MINING INDUSTRY CAN REDUCE ITS EMISSIONS AND ACHIEVE NET ZERO TARGETS?

» Currently, mining activities account for 4-7% of global GHG emissions and the mining industry consumes up to 11% of global energy use. As the world electrifies to fight the climate crisis, we need to find ways to make it a climate-conscious process while still supplying the worldwide demand for copper and zinc, which will increase exponentially. It also makes good economic sense, responsible, sustainable, climate-conscious mining is a more sustainable business model in the holistic sense. Renewable energy, electric vehicles and remote technologies are more efficient, safer and cleaner. miningdigital.com

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Custom Persona-Based Industrial IoT 24

May 2022

HITACHI VANTARA

WRITTEN BY: GEORGIA WILSON PRODUCED BY: MIKE SADR miningdigital.com

HITACHI VANTARA

Hitachi Vantara’s Siddharth Verma and Andrew Mudford discuss the company’s IIoT journey and the benefits of custom, persona-based solutions

ith experience spanning more than 20 years each, both Siddharth Verma, General Manager Manufacturing Division and Andrew Mudford, Account Director at Hitachi Vantara both began their careers in 2000. Specialising in manufacturing, mining, and technology, these two executives reflect on Hitachi Vantara and its journey since they joined the company. “Hitachi Vantara is a subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd,” begins Verma, “with over 110 years of industrial expertise, and 60 years of IT experience.” “Hitachi is a world leader in areas from manufacturing to automotive to power grids and more, but a lot of how we deliver value is through IT and helping our customers digitally transform their operations for data-driven outcomes,” adds Mudford. “Our particular division is tasked with solutions across the IT spectrum, and a big part of that is trying to empower Hitachi's vision around social innovation and the digital connection of our physical world.

May 2022

HITACHI VANTARA

“Like many companies, we continue to evolve as a business and the key thing for us is that we have strong leadership driving our agenda around the modern connections of people, places and things to discover new insights that drive innovation. We are focused on the core tenets of data, and how you leverage that data to provide insights and value to customers, whether that’s at the underlying IT infrastructure level or targeted insight for specific industries or verticals such as manufacturing or mining.” Hitachi Vantara’s Industrial IoT Journey “Industrial IoT (IIoT) means lots of different things to different people. At its most core for us, IIoT is about understanding the information and data that customers have access to, and how they can get insights from the data?” explains Mudford. 28

May 2022

“ Like many companies, we continue to evolve as a business and the key thing for us is that we have strong leadership driving our agenda around the modern connection of people, places and things to discover new insights that drive innovation” ANDREW MUDFORD

HEAD OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT, INDUSTRY SOLUTION PRACTICE, HITACHI VANTARA

“The biggest thing we've found is that customers - depending on what particular part of manufacturing they are operating in - are all at a different stage when it comes

HITACHI VANTARA

Improving manufacturing and mining operations with Industrial IoT “Industrial IoT applications can help manufacturers across almost all of their domains. We can create a rich amount of contextual data from what each process is actually doing. What is the process

SIDDHARTH VERMA TITLE: GENERAL MANAGER MANUFACTURING DIVISION LOCATION: CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES Sid leads the IIoT and the Industrial Solutions division for Hitachi Vantara in digital transformation and Industry 4.0 operating models, supply chain control towers, asset performance management, manufacturing operations, and quality and predictive maintenance. Sid helps customers create smart, connected factories and intelligent products. He also manages the industry leading Lumada Manufacturing Insights portfolio of products on behalf of Hitachi Ltd. Previously, Sid led the practice for Siemens Advanta and Deloitte Digital IIoT with a focus on IoT-enabled growth and operation improvement in the Industrial and Energy sectors.

EXECUTIVE BIO

to digital transformation. Some of our customers are at a more basic level, meaning that they may just want to convert paper and manual processes to digital. At the other end of the spectrum, we're dealing with mature customers, for example in the automotive sector we require more advanced analytics and machine learning type techniques. “The practices that we use have been operating in factories for a long time. Just digitising those allows customers to be a lot more progressive and that's where we start. “We've been on this journey for a little while now, and there's still a long way to go. The industry as a whole is not that digitally mature yet and there are lots of people capable of contributing to digital progress. Some of them are going to be partners, some of them are going to be competitors, and hopefully all of them in some capacity or another are going to be our customers.” Echoing Mudford’s comments, Verma says, “Our biggest challenge is trying to move forward with the capabilities that we have in place and in a format that the client can actually understand and appreciate. Over time options have grown. There are now too many options and vendors. A secondary challenge for us is to differentiate the competition at every step and think about what is and isn’t possible.”

miningdigital.com

HITACHI VANTARA

Hitachi Vantara: Custom, Persona-Based Industrial IoT

“With IoT, our customers can start collecting quality data to help them automatically detect a lot of the defects that were previously only visible by a person or a process at a later stage. It gives them a lot more insight into how a process can be done and on a faster scale. The quality is measured at a much higher speed and a much higher level. One of the biggest use cases in this is around maintenance failures. We can use IoT technologies to reduce catastrophic failure, which means we can predict failures in advance, and the maintenance schedules can be optimised to the way items are used, which will overall reduce the cost for the manufacturer and ensure they meet their commitments,” adds Verma.

“ A lot of solutions at the moment are trying to besqueeze into a one-size-fits-all solution. For us, with persona-based approaches, we can be very targeted when solving problems specific to those industries” ANDREW MUDFORD

HEAD OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT, INDUSTRY SOLUTION PRACTICE, HITACHI VANTARA

contributing? What are people contributing? And once we’re able to see the data across the board, we start to see potential and ask the following questions: What if I changed this product? What if I produce a few more of them? And what will happen if I change this step? What if I do these shifts? With a digital twin, we can simulate these different scenarios and actually help our customers plan their manufacturing operations,” explains Verma. 30

May 2022

HITACHI VANTARA

Commenting on the benefits of Industrial IoT, Mudford explains that it ultimately depends on the digital maturity of the customer. “However, at the most principal level, we’re talking about yield and production. We’re talking about the ability to produce units faster and at a more cost effective price for the customer.. “A lot of the hype around Industrial IoT is that our customers think that it’s a different operating model. In principle, however, I don’t think it is. What we're really doing is trying to provide insights and put them into the hands of operators - to accelerate the decision making process that they may have been unable to make before. This could include the planning of activities, the automation of assets, or even something as simple as ensuring that operators have the insights to make the right product.” Mudford continues, “we've put the insights into the hands of operators in their core system of engagement, which from a change management perspective reduces the amount of time it takes for an operator or the business to take advantage of these activities. And if you look at the history of innovation, manufacturing has been an innovative industry for a long period of time, but engineers have been solving the problems. When these groups of engineers solve problems, they then move on to the next issue. After a period of time the gains that were made start to erode. One of the benefits that we see from our approach to Industrial IoT is that we can basically embed all of these changes to

ensure that they become sustainable. That's the fundamental difference. As opposed to just throwing sensors or dashboards at people, it's about embedding sustainable change into the operations of a business.” The benefits of custom solutions and developing them on a large scale “Customisation means different things to different people, but for us at Hitachi Vantara, it’s about being able to tailor a solution to the needs of our customers while using repeatable building blocks. That’s where the productisation part of our business comes into it,” says Mudford. “Sometimes you can have a solution bespoke to the customer's needs, but as the customer or the industry evolves, the tailored solution is too unique to evolve with them. We want to get the balance between

solutions that are targeted to a specific customer, industry, or problem that can also be scaled and productised. This is our general philosophy and where we see the greatest amount of benefit.” Adding to Mudford’s comments, Verma explains the two extremes when it comes to miningdigital.com

HITACHI VANTARA

solutions and solving problems. “The first extreme can happen when we deploy a custom solution which is built for a certain client, with their particularities and needs. These solutions tend to require a lot of system integrations and hence, become

ANDREW MUDFORD TITLE: HEAD OF PRODUCT MGMT, INDUSTRY SOLUTION PRACTICE INDUSTRIES: DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION, IOT, SOCIAL INNOVATION, INFORMATION & ANALYTICS

Andrew Mudford heads Industrial Solutions at Hitachi Vantara and focuses on enabling success with digital transformation, IoT, social innovation, data management and analytics for customers within manufacturing and mining industries. With almost 20 years’ experience, Andrew has been involved in the introduction of several world-leading solutions, including the development and implementation of image capture and facial recognition technologies, laser engraving technologies for enhancing the efficiency and security of passport issuance systems and travel documents, smart meters for utilities, and the introduction of NFC technologies for contactless and mobile payments.

May 2022

EXECUTIVE BIO

LOCATION: NSW, AUSTRALIA

expensive in nature, and over time, very difficult to maintain. On the other extreme, we have a cookie-cutter solution business which is pure software. The idea is the company will adjust itself to the customer needs, resulting in a much larger shift from the company. “What we have done at Hitachi Vantara is bring in concepts that enable us to build a solution that gives us economies of scale with lots of features that can be customised at any time. We are inspired by what we call mass customisation and the concept of itemisation which allows software frameworks to be highly monetised. This allows us to leverage a lot of features, but the cost is very low due to them being mass-produced.” Industry-specific personabased solutions and KPIs Being one of the largest manufacturing companies in the world, Hitachi is fortunate to be able to think along the same lines as the customers it serves. “We have built the solutions and designed our technologies while thinking about what happens on the shop floor. We take into consideration everything that the quality manager, the maintenance manager and the health and safety manager does in his / her role. This is what we refer to as a persona-driven solution. We have built this expertise outside of the beta and into a user interface that is easily understood and flexible. “The data transforms into an insights calculation and generates KPIs which feed into the dashboards. The user interfaces allows for the health and safety officer or maintenance officer to access the KPIs or data points directly to enable them to change the way people do their jobs.”

HITACHI VANTARA

When it comes to industry-specific KPIs (key performance indicators), Verma adds that these are important to the way that the manufacturing industry works. Working on a set of KPIs, allows manufacturers to be data-driven in their work, as they know that quality work is being produced. “So, as I was saying before, industryspecific persona and the KPIs of a particular industry or subindustry is quite important. Generally speaking, people in the industry talk about manufacturing as one holistic industry area. But when you start breaking it down and consider industries such as mining, medtech, food and beverage, agriculture, paint and chemicals - all of these industries come under the manufacturing umbrella,

although they don't always adhere to the same KPIs. This is why industries need their own specific KPIs, and we need to adhere to these KPIs rather than reinvent them,” continues Verma. Adding to Verma’s comments Mudford says, “This is an area we pride ourselves on. A lot of solutions are trying to squeeze

“We can use IoT technologies to reduce catastrophic failure, which means we can predict failures in advance, and the maintenance schedules can be optimised” SIDDHARTH VERMA

GENERAL MANAGER MANUFACTURING DIVISION, HITACHI VANTARA miningdigital.com

May 2022

HITACHI VANTARA

“Our biggest challenge is trying to bring forward the capabilities that are there and in a format that the client can actually understand and appreciate” SIDDHARTH VERMA

GENERAL MANAGER MANUFACTURING DIVISION, HITACHI VANTARA

into a one-size-fits-all solution. For us, with persona-based approaches, we can be very targeted when solving problems specific to these industries; for example, from the subindustry we are able to provide a solution to a manufacturer that specifically addresses the maintenance manager's needs. With a one lens approach we’re very strong, but it becomes even more powerful when we get into the sub-industry. From this point we can be even more targeted. “Manufacturing is a very broad term and what's appropriate to a steel manufacturer is different to an automotive manufacturer and an aerospace manufacturer. And so, for us, we pride ourselves on driving personas, not only to the maintenance manager, but the maintenance manager working in steel manufacturing. We talk in their language and about things that resonate with them. We provide value in a faster space of time which we are ultimately going to get measured on. Our customers don't have the time or energy to take on science based projects, and this allows us to demonstrate relevant proof of value.”

miningdigital.com

SANDVIK AND BOLIDEN TRIAL 3D PRINTING IN MINING Additive manufacturing – or 3D printing, as it’s commonly known – is maturing fast, progressing from plastic components to printing ceramics and metals WRITTEN BY: DOMINIC ELLIS 36

May 2022

SMART MINING

weden has a long and noble history of mining, with evidence of human activity dating back to prehistoric times. But old does not necessarily mean primitive, as proven by Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions collaboration with Boliden, the Swedish mining and metals giant, trialling cutting-edge mining technology. Additive manufacturing (AM) – or 3D printing, as it’s more commonly known – is maturing fast, progressing from plastic components to printing ceramics and metals. To discover the potential of the technology, Boliden has teamed up with Sandvik to run a one-year trial that will see digitally-printed machine parts installed on underground drill rigs.

The trial with Sandvik involves a set of specially redesigned components printed digitally at a Sandvik-managed facility in Italy, with their performance then being monitored on machines in Boliden’s underground mine worksites – first in Sweden, then in Ireland. At least in theory, the 3D metal parts could perform just as well – or even better – than traditionally manufactured items. The first components have just been put into operation in the Garpenberg mine, with performance yet to be evaluated. “Additive manufacturing shows a lot of potential, both in reducing carbon footprint within the supply chain — through reduced or eliminated need for transport and storage miningdigital.com

sustain peak performance.

Benchmark your actual process and asset performance data against your expected performance with Honeywell Forge for Industrial, for better decisions that impact reliability, safety and profitability. For more information, please visit: www.honeywellprocess.com/iiot

SMART MINING

of parts — and in shortening delivery times,” says Ronne Hamerslag, Head of Supply Management at Boliden. “This trial will give us a deeper understanding on how we can move forward and develop our business in a competitive way.” 3D printing is an exciting prospect for OEMs too, as Sandvik’s Erik Lundén, President, Parts & Services at Sandvik Mining & Rock Solutions, explains. “Mining equipment can last up to 25 years – and needs to be supported throughout that time – even in the most remote of locations,” he says.

“We have many different SKUs (stock keeping units), and from an inventory point of view, we can’t tie up the capital that keeping all these parts in stock would entail. 3D printing of parts locally offers us the prospect of not only getting parts to the customer much faster, but doing so far more sustainably.” Although in theory any part could in future be 3D printed, it is likely to be maintenance and repair operating items that are the first to get the additive manufacturing treatment — elements that customers need to change every 3,000-4,000 hours, such as the bushes, brackets and drill parts. miningdigital.com

But printing of the parts is only one part of the puzzle that the trial with Boliden is trying to solve. Another is working out the future business model for 3D-printed parts. Who does the printing – the OEM, the miner, or a third-party printing company, and what will the costs be? What about intellectual property rights, warranties and liabilities? All these elements, and more, need to be resolved in the development of a 3D printed future. But the omens are favourable. “If you ask me, it’s the most exciting thing that’s happening in the supply chain,” added Hamerslag. “Its efficiency, speed and climate friendliness mean that we have to investigate additive manufacturing closely. We are only at the proof-of-concept stage with Sandvik right now, but it’s already clear that it could become a game-changer for the spare parts business in mining – for both miners and equipment manufacturers.” 40

May 2022

3D printing is a very small part of the metals industry, but it is growing rapidly and this market is expected to be worth as much as $10bn by 2030 to 2035, according to McKinsey. By 2020, 40 years after the development of the first commercial machines, analysis of the AM sector showed it had grown to a €13.4bn industry, with a 22% annual growth rate. The sector remains extremely dynamic, with more than 200 players competing to develop new hardware, software, and materials. “After decades as a bit player, additive manufacturing is on the cusp of stardom,” concludes a recent McKinsey paper. “Faster machines, better materials, and smarter software are helping to make AM a realistic solution for many real-world production applications.” Already, the technology is being used to produce nickel, nickel alloys, and other highvalue metals.

SMART MINING

The main benefits of 3D printing are a shorter value chain, cost and time reductions through elimination of assembly steps, greater customisation and design freedom, and minimal waste. Yet, according to this report, the technology still has significant challenges to overcome. These include the high costs of metal powder and 3D printers for large-scale production, as well as significant constraints on the dimensions of printed parts. Additionally, most printers cannot mix materials within one item. However, R&D activities by corporations and academics are rapidly addressing these limitations. As 3D printing of metals matures, it is likely to significantly disrupt many parts of the current value chain, the report concludes. “We expect the change to be binary: either 3D printing will prove to be the better alternative and, as a result, will sweep through the industry, as smartphones swept aside most other telecommunications devices; or it will fail to meet its promise and remain a narrow niche,” it states. “However, if the technology overcomes the remaining challenges confronting it today and the supply chain adapts to 3D printing processes, we expect the structural advantages of this production method to make it the uncontested choice for most metals manufacturers.”

“AFTER DECADES AS A BIT PLAYER, ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING IS ON THE CUSP OF STARDOM” MCKINSEY RESEARCH

Italy and German stops for Huawei Enterprise roadshow The Huawei Enterprise Roadshow 2022 is underway across Europe and this month sees it stop by Italy (May 9-19) and Germany (May 31-June 15), which will then be followed by Portugal (June 20-July 8) and Spain (September 12-October 21). Huawei follows a ‘Platform + ML + Ecosystem’ strategy, deploying next generation ICT, from cloud computing and big data to ML, 5G, and IoT, to construct the mining industrial internet. Click here for more details.

“ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SHOWS A LOT OF POTENTIAL … THROUGH REDUCED OR ELIMINATED NEED FOR TRANSPORT AND STORAGE OF PARTS, AND ALSO SHORTER DELIVERY TIMES” RONNE HAMERSLAG

HEAD OF SUPPLY MANAGEMENT, BOLIDEN

May 2022

SMART MINING

3D printing metals and mining market • The 3D printing market is expected to be worth as much as $10bn by 2030 to 2035, according to McKinsey. • 3D printing of parts locally offers the prospect of not only getting parts to the customer faster, but far more sustainably

SensOre targets global data potential with Unico agreement SensOre has sealed an agreement with Unico, now part of global IT and business consulting firm CGI, to collaborate on the commercialisation of SensOre’s mining exploration technology platform. The project represents an opportunity to expand SensOre’s current client services to a cloud-based SaaS (software as a service) product. This contract is an important step in SensOre’s technology development roadmap.

SensOre’s existing proprietary AI-enhanced technology is designed to advance the way companies integrate, interrogate and analyse geoscience data and increase the potential for mineral discovery. It is envisaged that development and deployment of the proprietary platform will open the door to scale the company’s products and expand SensOre’s capacity to service mineral exploration companies in Australia and overseas, while reducing the Company’s unit cost per engagement. SensOre CEO Richard Taylor says its background is creating and deploying technology and software that generate exploration targets using AI. “While we have previously focused on Western Australia, a key objective of the Unico partnership is to enhance the pace of our data expansion across the globe,” he says. Unico’s Director of Innovation Evan Harridge says SensOre’s AI-driven analysis tools will be able to see what is underground in great detail, similar to how medical imaging technology can accurately see inside the human body. “This technology would enable exploration to be more targeted and limit the overall environmental impact,” he says. miningdigital.com

GACW

REINVENTING THE WHEEL IN AN EVOLVING INDUSTRY WRITTEN BY: JOHN PINCHING PRODUCED BY: MARK CAWSTON

miningdigital.com

GACW

‘Reinventing the wheel’ has been a great motivation for GACW. The company’s Air Suspension Wheels reach optimum levels of performance and last for decades

lobal Air Cylinder Wheels (GACW) is a company driven by a steel will to transform the mining industry through its pioneering Air Suspension Wheels. Its emergence in the industry is a response to a conundrum which has remained unsolved for decades – how do you reinvent the wheel? Mining is almost as old as time itself and while the industry has moved with the times, some things have remained the same. For the wheels typically used in global mining operations, time has stood still. Even in the digital era, wheels have remained strangely, almost defiantly, antiquated. Too often sophisticated mining operations have persevered with the old-fashioned inflatable tyres. These have been prone to combustion, skidding, blowouts, and lateral sway, while also being completely unsustainable, impossible to dispose off, and responsible for polluting oceans throughout the world. Indeed, a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, estimated that tyres account for as much as 10% of overall microplastic waste in the world’s oceans. In contrast, Air Suspension Wheels (ASW) uses a complex combination of long-lasting steel, inwheel suspension, pneumatic wizardry, energy efficiency, and replaceable treads to optimise performance and provide mining systems – from gold to coal – with

May 2022

GACW

Reinventing the wheel in an evolving industry

ultra modern reliability and, mercifully, a vital venture into corporate sustainability. It is indisputable proof that change is happening and it concerns the one thing that should keep businesses moving (but so often does the opposite). President & CEO of GACW, Zoltan Kemeny, is the visionary behind ASW, but also a mining luminary who has been determined to evolve an element of the industry which had stalled for decades. “I saw the tyres as the weak link in the critical interface,” reflects Zoltan. “When the existing rubber hits the road or the terrain, you run the risk of flat tyres, fire, and damage from repeated use. I thought, there's got to be a better way – these wheels must be designed with the same precision as the vehicle itself, with a metallic structure, reactive suspension, and mechanical parts. The identification of that weakness became an inspiration at first, and then an obsession.” 48

May 2022

Highly qualified in the field of engineering, Zoltan has used all his experience and knowledge of mining to create a dynamic wheel which works in tandem with other machinery and, critically, the environment in which it operates. Wheel of fortune Clearly the most important plot point on the ASW journey is the elimination of the inflated tyre – a burden which would not be able to survive in the modern mining ecosystem. For centuries, repeatedly pumping up and patching up beaten-up old tyres has been the unsustainable sticking plaster on the mining industry, frequently bringing operations to a grinding halt, wasting valuable time, and creating economic problems in the process. By replacing the traditional design with a predominantly metallic structure – which has steel walls, easily replaceable rubber gripping tracks, and suspension under the chassis – the wheels represent a fully

GACW

integrated solution, allowing free-flowing mining projects without hazardous overreliance on old technology. It is a gateway to the future and a message to the wider world about the positive motivations of mining businesses. When Zoltan started forming the blueprint for ASW he was well aware of the old adage about the ‘pointless reinvention of an existing idea’, but his response is progressive rather than restrictive: “People say, ‘oh

you’re reinventing the wheel’ but that’s just thinking inside a box – you have to look beyond that. Yes, the wheel is already invented, but is it always perfect? No – there are certain areas where the wheel is far from perfect, particularly in the military, forestry construction and, of course, the mining industry.” “The rubber tyre can so easily be damaged by fire, or just with a knife. If you have a steel wheel, which operates the

“THESE WHEELS MUST BE DESIGNED WITH THE SAME PRECISION AS THE VEHICLE ITSELF, WITH A METALLIC STRUCTURE, REACTIVE SUSPENSION AND MECHANICAL PARTS. THE IDENTIFICATION OF THAT WEAKNESS BECAME AN INSPIRATION AT FIRST, AND THEN AN OBSESSION” ZOLTAN KEMENY

PRESIDENT & CEO, GLOBAL AIR CYLINDER WHEELS miningdigital.com

GACW

CT Hydraulics (Nqoba)(Pty)Ltd ‘Quality in Hydraulics’ Specialise in the design, manufacture and repair of all types of hydraulic & pneumatic cylinders. CT Hydraulics is affiliated to most of the OEM’s in Southern Africa in the mining industry and often our design improvement recommendations are implemented worldwide. CT Hydraulics have been instrumental in the design of the GACW cylinders. CT Hydraulics is accredited with ISO 9001-2015 quality system.

GACW

Zoltan Kemeny TITLE: PRESIDENT & CEO INDUSTRY: MINING

EXECUTIVE BIO

LOCATION: ARIZONA Zoltan Kemeny has written and co-written over 200 national and international technology patents – issued or pending – in the field of seismic, mechanical, structural, civil, and earthquake engineering, as well as medical electronics, semiconductor, control systems, green energy, engine technology, and optics. He contracted short-run productions of seismic isolators for data centres in Shanghai, China, and sold his licensee upon request in Tokyo, Japan. He owns five small businesses and partners in two other enterprises, which are exclusively dedicated to his own patented technologies. He serves on the board of Eliances where he is an SME on values.

“ PEOPLE SAY, ‘OH YOU’RE REINVENTING THE WHEEL’ BUT THAT’S JUST THINKING INSIDE A BOX. YES, THE WHEEL IS ALREADY INVENTED, BUT IS IT ALWAYS PERFECT? NO” ZOLTAN KEMENY

PRESIDENT & CEO, GLOBAL AIR CYLINDER WHEELS

GACW

“ WE'RE NOT LIMITED TO AN OFF-THE-SHELF SOLUTION. WE ASK THE CLIENT WHAT THEIR SPECIFIC CHALLENGE IS AND, BY WORKING TOGETHER, WE CREATE A SOLUTION.” ZOLTAN KEMENY

PRESIDENT & CEO, GLOBAL AIR CYLINDER WHEELS

May 2022

GACW

same way, then it is impossible to do that. With ASW, you can ride over an IED in a war, or an explosive, and still keep running,” adds Zoltan. It is this robust approach, attention to detail and focus on design which is taking GACW into the next stage of development. Wheels of your mind When it came to testing the new wheels, GACW had a rather novel approach, starting with small vehicles and gradually moving on to monster machines. It started with the humble wheelchair, before progressing to an SUV and then the giant trucks. Sales SVP at GACW, Harmen Van Kamp, who became Zoltan’s indispensable right hand, strategic partner and friend from the get go, knows the potential of taking ASW to the next level, including improving their impact on the sacred arena of sustainability: “Tyres are by far the least innovated part of mining, but they’re also considered the biggest issue – environmentally, it's the most negative aspect of mining. There are many campaign groups that have identified tyre problems and are urging improvements on mining sites. “Controlling the vehicle is also one of the most dangerous jobs on the mine site, so reactions to ASW from a safety perspective have been really positive.” In terms of the disposal of rubber tyres, the process over the last couple of centuries has been far from sophisticated. “You can't really scrap them,” says Harmen. “The only way to get rid of them is to dig a big hole and throw them in there. It then takes about 150 years for disintegration to take place.” It is this kind of statistic which puts mining under the microscope. The launch of ASW, however, has also coincided with mining companies needing to boost their green miningdigital.com

GACW

credentials – essentially future-proofing an ancient industry for the next generation. GACW has been explicitly told by organisations that, as part of their lower emission goals, they need to be more responsible when it comes to wheel usage. After all, there is only one thing better than recycling wheels and that is not having to recycle them at all. “A lot of mining operations want to slash their CO2 emissions by 50-60% by 2030 and the use of ASW is going to become a big part of that,” notes Harmen. Testing times During the long journey from conception to roll-out, mining equipment will reach the 54

May 2022

hallowed ground of ‘technology readiness level’. During trials in South Africa, the ASW successfully reached the proof of concept stage, as the wheels excelled in the fields of durability, versatility, and performance. It also convinced Zoltan and Harmen that the ‘crazy’ idea of replacing the rubber tyre could become a stark reality.

GACW

Following the initial trial, GACW moved on to the United States – it was crunch time for the ASW as it faced its most demanding tests. “In America, we have been going through rounds of much more destructive testing, pushing the wheels to their very limits,” reflects Harmen. “Along the way, we have been making final minor

improvements, resulting in the best wheel we can possibly produce.” Getting the most formidable wheel made is something GACW will not cut corners on, and that means investing heavily in collaboration. “We team up with strong partners, because at our heart we are an engineering firm,” insists Harmen. “We are proudly working with the best cylinder manufacturer, the best wheel manufacturer, and the best compound manufacturer. These entities combine to deliver the best wheel possible – a wheel that can fundamentally change how organisations approach mining.” miningdigital.com

GACW

“ WE TEAM UP WITH STRONG PARTNERS, BECAUSE AT OUR HEART WE ARE AN ENGINEERING FIRM” ZOLTAN KEMENY

PRESIDENT & CEO, GLOBAL AIR CYLINDER WHEELS

GACW Production line GACW currently has the potential to produce hundreds of wheels every year, while its manufacturing partner has 18 facilities all over the world, allowing for significant global distribution. The use of ASW is also a bespoke solution and the company is keen to work with clients to meet their exact mining specifications. “We're not limited to an off-the-shelf solution,” concludes Zoltan. “We ask the client what their specific challenge is and, by working together, we create a solution. Historically a company would choose a rubber tyre and build the vehicle around it. With ASW, we can do the opposite by taking the existing vehicle and integrating a made-to -measure wheel. Subsequently, this method opens up many more possibilities.” The brand of forward-thinking epitomised by ASW is certainly drawing the attention of tier one global mining companies, whose commitment to tech and modern solutions is growing exponentially. Many have even included the embracing of innovation within new mission statements. It's become a pivotal exercise for companies to implement new technology on a mine site, then throughout a country, ultimately resulting in global rollouts. With this in mind, ASW is set to make a seismic impact on mining operations across all continents, taking the industry into unchartered territory and yielding new opportunities in the search for sustainability. The opportunities for mining companies to reboot their systems with the ASW are manifest, while the chance to engage with the public about how they operate represents a unique milestone. The dawn of change has arrived for mining and over the coming years GACW will play a pivotal role in its transformation. Evidently, ‘reinventing the wheel’ is possible after all.

miningdigital.com

SUPPLY CHAIN

EXPANDING

COPPER

MINING’S SUSTAINABILITY

FRAMEWORK

May 2022

Copper Mark’s Executive Director, Michèle Brülhart, speaks exclusively to us about improving copper sustainability and creating sustainable value chains

WRITTEN BY: DOMINIC ELLIS

opper demand is expected to double over the next few decades, reaching about 60mn tonnes per year by 2050. The sector’s projected growth is going to place increased demand — and scrutiny — on copper companies’ sustainability, particularly in an era of net zero targets and emissions consciousness. Copper currently finds itself in the limelight as a key metal affected by the Ukrainian conflict, given Russia is the second largest exporter of refined copper — and one that is integral to the green economy transition. As such, greater attention is being paid to the sector’s own sustainability credentials. The Copper Mark — assurance framework designed to promote responsible practices and demonstrate the copper industry’s contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals — now has 24 participating sites, covering 11 major copper-producing companies across a range of key mining geographies, and it is looking to add another 15 sites this year. Codelco was a recent high-profile addition. Aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050, Codelco is the world’s largest copper producer and is committed to ensuring that all of its sites participate in the framework by miningdigital.com

SUPPLY CHAIN

the end of 2023. The company’s participation in the Copper Mark framework builds on its commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 70% and decrease its consumption of continental waters by 65% by 2030, as well as achieve carbon neutrality across its operations by 2050. Renato Fernández, Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability of Codelco, said: “The first division that will participate in this initiative will be El Teniente ,and we estimate that by the end of 2023, 100% of our operations will participate in this international assurance programme, representing an external and independent validation for our route towards processes with less impact.”

“ COMPANIES COMMIT TO MEET COPPER MARK STANDARDS WITHIN TWO YEARS, AND MUST MEET 32 CRITERIA COVERING A RANGE OF ESG TOPICS” MICHÈLE BRÜLHART

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COPPER MARK

Six new sites were awarded the Copper Mark standard in Q1: • Los Bronces (Anglo American, Chile) • El Soldado (Anglo American, Chile) • Chagres (Anglo American, Chile) • Highland Valley Copper (Teck Resources Limited, Canada) • Chino (Freeport McMoRan, United States) • Tyrone (Freeport McMoRan, United States) Companies commit to meet Copper Mark standards within two years, and must meet 32 criteria covering a range of ESG topics. To date, 21 have completed the audit process and received the Mark, which accounts for around 15% of copper production, explains Copper Mark Executive Director Michèle Brülhart. “At the moment, we are transitioning from our first to second phase, which includes miningdigital.com

SUPPLY CHAIN

semi fabricators – everyone who produces a copper product. We are piloting this at the moment with 18 sites and gathering feedback, and also looking to launch the Chain of Custody (CoC) standard, linking responsible producers to the products themselves, enabling full traceability throughout the supply chain so customers are able to obtain a certified piece of copper.” She says most companies spend a good period of time preparing to meet the criteria before applying to the Copper Mark, undertaking gap analysis and understanding the compliance required. “Generally, there is a lot of attention on climate action, both in terms of decarbonisation and physical impact on operations, and around water and waste management, and tailings,” she says.

May 2022

“ GENERALLY, THERE IS A LOT OF ATTENTION ON CLIMATE ACTION, BOTH IN TERMS OF DECARBONISATION AND PHYSICAL IMPACT ON OPERATIONS” MICHÈLE BRÜLHART

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COPPER MARK

“It’s definitely in a broader lens than just the carbon footprint. The second area is this increasingly regulated space around supply chain and environmental due diligence, which has received a lot more attention as companies face specific expectations from the market and regulatory side.” She says there is a large proportion in the middle of the industry who are unaware of the requirements, and who may have a “slightly longer journey ahead of them”. However, there are leading companies too, such as Glencore, which have yet to sign up. “There is clearly a need to demonstrate responsible practices to support the energy transition – and as much as there is an increase in demand, there is also an increase in demand for responsibly produced materials, so the two go hand in hand, and that’s ultimately why the Copper Mark exists,” she says.

“The commitment from Codelco to our framework is indicative of a wider trend we are seeing from copper producers, who are responding to ESG demand from investors and customers to adopt more responsible production practices that we expect to continue to grow as part of the shift towards creating a greener economy. There is far more acceptance that this is a required set of practices, as opposed to a ‘nice to have’.” Green innovation propelling mining transformation While the mining sector has already begun making progress towards a greener mining industry, this cannot be done without investment, according to Lord Ashbourne, Director of Energy Resources at Edison Group.

miningdigital.com

Boliden buys electrified Scania truck and rolls out ow-carbon zinc Boliden is buying a 74-tonne electrified truck from Scania as part of its procurement transformation and strategy to drive the transition to sustainable solutions. The vehicle, due to be delivered this spring, is part of the mining company’s aim to decrease its CO2 emissions 40% by 2030. In February, it started sales of low-carbon zinc (SHG Zinc) and wants its climate-friendly product to account for 18% of total zinc production.

May 2022

SUPPLY CHAIN

“ AS MUCH AS THERE IS AN INCREASE IN DEMAND, THERE IS ALSO INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR RESPONSIBLY PRODUCED MATERIALS” MICHÈLE BRÜLHART

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COPPER MARK

Research from Goldman Sachs warns of a potential copper supply gap of 8.2Mt by 2030, with demand expected to grow by 900%. The cleantech industry’s need for copper, as well as other resources, means that investing in additional copper mining capacity that is as efficient and green as possible must become a matter of the utmost urgency.

“A series of recent, high-profile investments have suggested a direction that the industry could take to deliver the required increase in supply,” he said. “For example, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos have been looking at cleaner and more efficient ways of extracting and processing raw materials. They have both backed KoBold Metals, which utilises AI in order to target high quality ore deposits that require less intrusive methods of extraction.” Volkswagen Group joins IRMA The Volkswagen Group recently underlined its commitment to sustainable mining by joining the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) ahead of buying raw materials such as cobalt, lithium, nickel and graphite as part of its ambitious electrification strategy. By joining IRMA, the Volkswagen Group commits itself to gradually applying the IRMA standards in its battery supply chains. Murat Aksel, Member of the Board for Procurement at the Volkswagen Group, said: "Standards are all the more effective the more consistently they are defined and the more partners adhere to them. IRMA brings together all the important players." Aimee Boulanger, Executive Director of the Initiative for Responsible Mining (IRMA), welcomed the Volkswagen Group’s membership and looks forward to working with them as they leverage their significant global reach to advance more responsible mining practices. miningdigital.com

NEWMONT

Luis Canepari CIO, Newmont

May 2022

NEWMONT

Newmont:

MAKING TECHNOLOGY

THE FUTURE OF MINING

How the world’s leading gold miner is digitally transforming to rethink the mining life cycle, unlock productivity, improve safety, reduce costs and support sustainability

WRITTEN BY: DAN BRIGHTMORE

ewmont’s considered implementation of technology is a key part of the digital journey towards operational efficiency and sustainability across its global operations. Chief Information Officer, Luis Canepari, is championing the company’s digital transformation efforts as it seeks to embrace automation and electrification. Automation “The era of manual processes in mining is over,” states Canepari. “Blasting, drilling, hauling, the processes at mills – all will become increasingly automated over the next 20 years. Whether we like it or not as an industry, that's where we're going to have to go if we want to remain competitive.”

PRODUCED BY: GLEN WHITE The process of automation is well underway at Newmont’s Boddington Mine in Australia, which will be the first open pit gold mine in the world with an autonomous haul truck fleet (AHS). Boddington’s autonomous haulage trucks feature rigorous safety controls to reduce employee exposure to potential vehicle interactions. Newmont is also executing a robust people strategy at Boddington, providing opportunities for reskilling and redeployment of haul truck drivers to other roles supporting the AHS. Artificial Intelligence “Artificial intelligence and predictive analytics go hand-in-hand with automation,” adds Canepari. “Access to data is key for our miningdigital.com

NEWMONT

Luis Canepari: Newmonts biggest challenges

operations. Correlating our drill data with the block modelling allows us to make faster decisions based on real insights. If you look at the success ratio for exploration in mining, it's pretty low; if we can improve that by a couple of percentage points, it will have a significant impact on our reserves. With data being generated across our organization, the ability to use artificial intelligence to tell us where our next drill site should be is a game-changer.” Digital Transformation Compared to other industries, mining has been slow to adapt to new technologies. Canepari pledges Newmont is aiming to rethink the mining lifecycle. “We’ve had a huge success with our first electrified mine at Borden, and we’re taking all the lessons learned from projects like these, and making them part of our Newmont mining model. Every new mine we're building, we're trying to re-create that digital transformation experience from our other mines.” 68

May 2022

Rapid Discovery with IBM Digital transformation has been a major undertaking for the IT department at Newmont. “The partnership with vendors like IBM, supports our work to consolidate our systems and further realize the synergies we have across the business since the acquisition of Goldcorp in 2019.” IBM was brought in through a rigorous RFP process. “We demonstrated to Newmont that we would bring top talent, and keep them there, to effect the changes needed successfully and bring these two companies’ systems together across finance, master data and supply chain management,” recalls Gene Allen, a Partner at IBM Global Business Services. “We had to learn how to dance together. We are both 100-year-old companies, but we used Rapid Discovery, an Enhance Program Launch and Agile methodology to help us deliver successfully together smoothly and efficiently.” IBM implemented Rapid Discovery to support this delivery. “We were looking at

NEWMONT

the five-year roadmap for Newmont to plan how everything should be sequenced and budgeted to accelerate this digital journey together,” explains Allen. Because change is rapid in the mining industry, it was important to identify the different constituencies in Newmont and how the move to a digital core should be sequenced to modernize, eliminate redundancies and sequence their systems changes in years to come.” Canepari highlights that Newmont piggybacked on IBM’s M&A experience to place all systems into one single landscape. “Rapid Discovery was about bringing our key stakeholders together across every business function for the most optimal outcome.”

LUIS CANEPARI TITLE: CIO INDUSTRY: MINING LOCATION: USA

“ With the migration of all our systems to the cloud, we’ve managed to shut down five data centers already.” LUIS CANEPARI CIO, NEWMONT

EXECUTIVE BIO

Operational & Technological Alignment Canepari’s team are focused on catering to all stakeholders, from the mining sites to the back office. “We build trust and reliability. For us to enable automation, AI and push forward with this digital transformation our system needs to be reliable, even during a global pandemic, and our networks need to remain operational at all sites, no matter how remote their locations,” he says.

Luis Canepari joined Newmont in April 2019 as Vice President and Chief Information Officer; having most recently served as Goldcorp’s Vice President, Technology since 2012. As CIO, Luis leads Newmont’s information technology organization and is responsible for driving and overseeing enterprise-wide plans to further realize value from Newmont’s strategic business and technology investments. Luis has a history of leading major transformation and innovation initiatives. He was honored with a 2017 CIO 100 Award for business and technology innovation, and the 2014 Business in Vancouver Forty Under 40 Award. Before joining Goldcorp, Luis was Director of Engineering and Construction at AES Corporation, responsible for leading major capital projects in Latin America and recognized for his significant community contributions. Prior to that, he held various IT leadership roles at AES and ExxonMobil Corporation. Luis holds an MBA from Georgetown University. He also holds a Bachelor in Science in Systems Engineering from Universidad Metropolitana. He is also a Certified Information Security Manager and a Certified Information Security Auditor.

NEWMONT

The pressure of the global pandemic has allowed Canepari’s IT team to test out new ideas. “With so many of us working remotely it's been the biggest experiment for remote operations that we’ve ever had as a company,” he notes. “We have thousands of employees working from home. It has completely shifted the mindset from the idea that we all needed to be sitting at the mine site. This past challenging year has given us the opportunity to learn how to make our operations more efficient. Everything we’ve invested in, is beginning to pay off. We have resilient networks and a reliable infrastructure backbone that allows us to work remotely. And now that we have tested them to the fullest, we can factor these into our operations. Working remotely is also enabling Newmont’s IT organization to attract a more diverse workforce and overcome the challenge of what Canepari identifies as the misconceptions around the risks of a job in the mining industry. “By widening the net for outsourcing we’ll be able to attract even more talent to our IT organization.”

SUSTAINABILITY

May 2022

DID YOU KNOW...

Technology will continue to support Newmont’s sustainability efforts as the business looks to develop onsite renewable power generation and energy efficiencies. It’s all part of a new ethos for the business spearheaded by CEO Tom Palmer. The work from home/work from anywhere paradigm prompted by the global pandemic has seen Newmont, like many other businesses, embrace proven methods of business interaction offering the flexibility that connects the boots on the ground to the boardroom. How the business is powered, both by people and fuel, is under constant review. “Both new and existing mines are going to significantly reduce our emissions in the future. We have committed to a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, with an aspiration of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050,” says Canepari. “It’s one of our biggest priorities and will be supported by the continued electrification of our mines.”

Strategic Partnerships Consolidating the approach to partnerships since the merger with Goldcorp has been vital for Canepari and his team. “At the end of the day, more than half of my IT organization is outsourced,” he says. “Therefore, it’s really important to work with the right partners to create lasting collaborations that can support ERP and our business transformation. Our partners are helping us drive the outcomes we’re expecting in the short term. They allow us to scale and de-scale, depending on our needs. Just as important is how they culturally fit with our organization. We aim to work with companies who can easily adapt to our style and understand our requirements for a higher

NEWMONT

Luis Canepari: Newmonts Digital transformation

level of detail. It is that higher level of detail that keeps our employees safe.” To leverage automation and artificial intelligence, a robust and stable network is key. Newmont is working with Starlink and other private LTE providers to enable connectivity across all areas of its mines and at remote exploration sites across the globe. “Starlink doesn’t rely on traditional ground infrastructure,” says Canepari. “This type of satellite connectivity can deliver highspeed broadband internet ensuring the low latency that can support our efforts in remote locations.” Innovation in the cloud “The migration to SAP S/4HANA and bringing our infrastructure to the hybrid cloud - has given us more agility; we can deliver projects faster and move more rapidly,” reveals Canepari. “It also gives us the opportunity to experiment with proven tools from other industries. We’re getting out of the

“ Blasting, drilling, hauling, the processes at mills – all aspect of mining will become increasingly automated over the next 20 years.” LUIS CANEPARI CIO, NEWMONT

miningdigital.com

NEWMONT

Luis Canepari: Newmonts Latest Achievements

“ Borden’s electric underground fleet eliminate diesel particulate matter from the underground environment and lower greenhouse gas emissions.” TOM PALMER CEO, NEWMONT

May 2022

NEWMONT

infrastructure business and re-training our team to move away from supporting servers to focus on finding opportunities to make our operations more efficient.” Canepari adds that cloud adoption is driving value by allowing him to deploy his team on more meaningful projects. “With the migration of all our systems to the cloud, we’ve managed to shut down five data centers already. We're starting to explore the possibilities of Edge Computing and what that means for our mines.”

BORDEN – ‘MINE OF THE FUTURE’

DID YOU KNOW...

Technology is the future of mining Mining companies are becoming technology companies and Canepari is excited by the chance to both boost production levels as well as ensure the safety of employees across the globe. “With more and more sensors and

In 2019 Newmont inaugurated its Borden Gold Project, Ontario’s mine of the future, featuring state-of-the-art health and safety controls, digital mining technologies and processes, and low-carbon energy vehicles. Anchored in a mutually beneficial partnership with local communities, Borden achieved commercial production on schedule within budget. At 1,000 square kilometres, Borden’s land package represents additional exploration upside, as the deposit remains open at depth in a favourable mining jurisdiction. “Borden opened a new gold mining district in Ontario and profitably extended operations at the Porcupine complex near Timmins,” explains Newmont CEO Tom Palmer. “In addition, Borden’s electric underground fleet eliminate diesel particulate matter from the underground environment and lower greenhouse gas emissions. This will help reduce energy costs, protect employee health and minimize impacts to the environment.”

miningdigital.com

NEWMONT

CYBERSECURITY

May 2022

DID YOU KNOW...

Cybersecurity has taken on greater significance for Newmont in the age of autonomous trucks and drills. Canepari points out that, unlike securing SAP or payroll data, safety is at stake. “As CIO, I’m focused on how we ensure the right controls in place to secure this new technology, when just ten years ago it wasn’t even on the agenda. We need to provide true segmentation across the network with innovation and compartmentalization so we don't have the entire company exposed at any given time. A production system in Africa needn’t be exposed to a risk that we may have in Australia and so forth. We’re trying to contain risk to smaller components and manage it better.” Canepari measures success more in his team’s ability to respond rather than their ability to prevent. “It’s not just about firewalls,” he says. “We must develop the ability to quickly identify the risk, any breaches, and respond rapidly to them. That’s the biggest change in culture that I see from a cybersecurity perspective. It’s about really focusing on the response time, and the recovery is paramount.”

NEWMONT

“We had to learn how to dance together. We are both 100-year-old companies, but we used Rapid Discovery, an Enhance Program Launch and Agile methodology to help us deliver successfully together smoothly and efficiently.” GENE ALLEN

PARTNER, IBM GLOBAL BUSINESS SERVICES

devices connected to our operations we can analyze the data via the cloud in real time to improve efficiencies and safety at every level. The role of a CIO has changed significantly; from providing systems to providing the value that delivers safer working conditions.” Canepari also sees it as his team’s responsibility to enable the company to meet its emissions reduction targets and allow operations to become more environmentally friendly. “As CIO, system abilities are part of my DNA and I believe as a company, we need to leverage technology to develop our systems to better harness energy management, emissions controls and water management as they will be significant drivers in terms of the success of a mining company over the next 20 years.”

miningdigital.com

AUTOMATION

AI-POWERED AUTONOMY

TRANSFORMS MINING Autonomous tech is gaining traction on earth and space, with partnerships exploring the development of moon infrastructure and retrofitting vehicles WRITTEN BY: DOMINIC ELLIS

utonomous technology continues to carve in-roads throughout the mining sector – even extending to the realms of outer space. SafeAI and MACA recently announced a partnership to retrofit a fleet of 100 mixed vehicles. Together with SafeAI’s Australian partner, Position Partners, the companies will create one of the largest autonomous heavy equipment fleets in Australia, powering safer, more productive and more cost-effective mine sites. SafeAI has built a next-generation autonomous platform that pairs the latest in AI with heavy industry. The company’s platform is interoperable and vehicleagnostic, enabling mining and construction companies to retrofit any vehicle, from any manufacturer, with autonomous technology. With advanced multimodal sensors and significant onboard processing power, SafeAIenabled equipment can independently 76

May 2022

make efficient, accurate decisions to keep operations running smoothly and safely, 24/7. “The mining industry has had autonomous equipment for more than 20 years, but we’ve gone as far as we can go with the first iteration of this technology,” said Bibhrajit Halder, founder and CEO of SafeAI. “SafeAI and MACA are going all-in on the next generation of autonomy — a generation that is AI-powered, versatile and scalable to bring meaningful, widespread change to the mining industry.” MACA, a rapidly-growing contract miner that recently reported a $13bn pipeline of opportunities, needed a solution capable of scaling with its business. SafeAI’s interoperable retrofit technology unlocks newfound scalability and versatility by enabling the company to optimise its existing fleet, rather than forcing it to complete a highly time-consuming and costly transition to an entirely new fleet of autonomous vehicles.

miningdigital.com

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Empowering safer, more sustainable mining As energy costs fluctuate, high-grade ores become scarcer, and profit margins tighten, productive mines recognize that technology is essential to their success. Companies must be smarter, safer, and quicker to respond to change. Their future depends on it. Hexagon recognizes that the competitive edge of its customers depends on empowering an autonomous future by integrating, automating, and optimizing critical workflows. This means smart mines that are efficient to operate, maximize safety and minimally impact the environment.

hexagonmining.com

AUTOMATION

“ SAFEAI AND MACA ARE GOING ALL-IN ON THE NEXT GENERATION OF AUTONOMY – A GENERATION THAT IS AI-POWERED, VERSATILE AND SCALABLE” BIBHRAJIT HALDER

FOUNDER AND CEO, SAFEAI

“This technology is a game changer for our business, our customers and our industry,” said Shane Clark, MACA’s General Manager of Estimating and Technical Services. “SafeAI’s versatile, scalable solution is unmatched in our industry right now, and has profound implications for site safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness. We expect to see quick takeup from our customers as they begin to see the tremendous impact of this technology.”

Through this partnership, SafeAI and Position Partners will work with MACA to retrofit its large, mixed fleet of haul trucks with autonomous hardware and software. MACA will be the first contract miner to deploy AI-powered autonomy for its customers, establishing safer, more productive and more cost-effective operations. “With SafeAI’s scalable, AI-powered technology, we can quickly deploy autonomous heavy equipment across our sites—creating safer, more productive operations and setting a new standard for our industry,” said Mike Sutton, CEO and Managing Director of MACA. This partnership follows a successful proof-of-concept between the three companies at the Karlawinda gold mine, owned by Capricorn Metals, and comes on the heels of a year of significant growth for SafeAI. In 2021, SafeAI expanded into four new countries, doubled its headcount,

miningdigital.com

Bechtel pledges $2m funding for moon infrastructure projects Space always looks to be a calm, seemingly empty environment in the movies but that belies the physical and technological challenges of exploration — especially when it comes to developing moon infrastructure. If we’re going to make moon landings more than the preserve of select astronauts, we will need to develop infrastructure and concrete structures – and, given the locational constraints, construction will need to be handled autonomously by robots. Engineers from Bechtel are joining researchers from two US universities to develop technologies that could serve as the bedrock for our future lunar lifestyles. Colorado School of Mines, led by principal investigator Christopher Dreyer, is planning to develop tools and methods for autonomous landing pad construction on the moon's surface. Missouri S&T, led by principal investigator Leslie Gertsch, will use magnetic and electrostatic technologies to more efficiently separate calcium- and aluminium-containing minerals from the Moon's soil – called regolith – to extract materials suitable for construction on the lunar surface. The selected projects will receive up to $2mn over two years to develop their technologies.

May 2022

“ THIS TECHNOLOGY IS A GAME CHANGER FOR OUR BUSINESS, OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR INDUSTRY” SHANE CLARK

GM ESTIMATING & TECHNICAL SERVICES, MACA

AUTOMATION

released an industry-first operating system and raised a Series A round of funding in June 2021. Sutton said: “Following a successful proofof-concept trial, MACA is very pleased to formalise our intent to continue working with SafeAI and Position Partners on the deployment of autonomy to our mining fleet. We look forward to delivering the safety, sustainability and productivity gains to our clients and upskilling our dedicated workforce along the way.” Halder, meanwhile, emphasised the fact that the mining industry is at the forefront of deploying autonomous and connected technologies. “SafeAI, in partnership with MACA, improves on existing autonomous technology, while at the same time making these solutions more accessible to mid-tier miners and their contractors.” miningdigital.com

CRU GROUP

May 2022

CRU GROUP

DATA-DRIVEN COMMODITIES

DIGITALTRANSFORMATION Will Blake, Director of Technology & Analytics at CRU Group, discusses how data and data analytics are driving change in commodities WRITTEN BY: MATT HIGH

he digital transformation of every industry sector means that an immeasurable amount of data is being generated by businesses, industries and consumers worldwide every day. The effective harnessing and analysis of that data can generate significant value to companies through the greater understanding and insight of trends, and better prediction and forecasting that allows robust strategies to be delivered. The latter is where CRU comes in. The London-headquartered company uses data to offer unrivalled business intelligence on the global metals, mining and fertiliser industries through market analysis, pricing assessments and consultancy services. The content and insight provided by CRU gives a complete view of the commodity market, enabling operators and industry participants to make critical business decisions.

PRODUCED BY: CAITLYN COLE

Understandably, delivering such a comprehensive suite of services requires a robust and innovative technology and analytics strategy. Will Blake is responsible for driving this strategy. Will is a highly experienced technology leader, having spent more than 15 years at CRU and, previously, close to two years working as a geophysicist in a seismic exploration team. Data has been an overarching theme throughout his career, as he explains: “Geophysics is a data intensive role that requires the handling of large volumes of information – the oil industry was really one of the first that exploited the value of data in this way, so that experience has certainly given me a greater understanding of the challenges around information and data, as well as how we can effectively solve the issues our customers face.” During his 15 years at CRU, Will has witnessed data, and the effective analysis miningdigital.com

CRU GROUP

CRU’s strategy on data gathering

“ COMPANIES ARE PRODUCING REAMS OF DATA AND, AT THE SAME TIME, USING A LOT MORE TO IMPROVE THEIR OPERATIONS” WILL BLAKE,

DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY & ANALYTICS, CRU GROUP

May 2022

of that data, play an increasingly important role in the business strategies of customers. “It’s been a huge transformation,” he notes. “Generally speaking, data is a lot more prevalent and is consumed from a host of different and new sources, such as increased automation and so on. Volume wise, we’re dealing with so much more information that we analyse, so it’s a significant change. “Take the mining industry as an example,” Will continues. “Companies are producing reams of data and, at the same time, using a lot more to improve their operations. There’s a big increase in IoT devices at mining sites and satellite geospatial analysis for monitoring purposes, for example, which help to boost productivity, eliminate unnecessary costs and allow for the move towards predictive maintenance. At the same time, we’re seeing an acceleration in the drive towards automated mining and self-driving vehicles, which can operate around the clock. Not only can they improve production rates

CRU GROUP

and safety, but provide greater availability of data and information to analyse.” CRU has been operational for just over 50 years. And while the company has always been at the forefront of primary research and analysis, Will explains that the exponential growth of data and innovative technology has led to the company’s own digital transformation journey. “We started as a paper-based publisher that would publish thousands of industry reports each year. And, because we have clients in 90 countries worldwide, we’d have to transport that information to them by courier. Similarly, the data collection was also quite a manual process. “What’s really changed is the accessibility of data,” he continues. “Clients used to be happy receiving a report once a year, or once a quarter, but now we’re no longer willing to wait for that information – technology makes everything instantaneous, so our whole cycle has had to change in terms of what we produce and how we produce it. It’s no longer about pulling information together and presenting it to the customer, people can often find that information easily elsewhere.

WILL BLAKE TITLE: DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY & ANALYTICS COMPANY: CRU GROUP INDUSTRY: COMMODITIES RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

EXECUTIVE BIO

LOCATION: LONDON Will has over 12 years of experience in technology across a range of disciplines including data analytics, cybersecurity, digital product development and cloud infrastructure. He is currently Director of Technology & Analytics at CRU and has responsibility for digital development initiatives and global technology services. He is also a member of the CRU executive team and has wider responsibilities across the business including product development and compliance. Prior to CRU, he worked as a geophysicist for a seismic exploration company in the oil industry. He holds a MSc in Geophysics from Durham University and a BSc in Geology from Bristol University.

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Pyramid Analytics: digital transformation’s trusted partner Pyramid Analytics helps organisations navigate their data journeys. The data analytics company provides customers with a unified, trusted analytics platform that is adaptable and scalable, and acts as a single analytics solution regardless of user type or skill level. “Digital transformation has fundamentally changed the way that organisations view and consume data,” says Omri Kohl, cofounder and CEO at Pyramid Analytics. “We’re now in an environment where data is an absolutely critical asset—if you want to have a competitive advantage and to capitalise on any opportunities in the market, you need to leverage all data available to you. It’s the most significant cultural change in how people develop and scale companies. Just look at Facebook, Google and Amazon, they’re all hugely successful and all driven by data.” CRU Group, a valued Pyramid customer and leading commodities analysis company, has undergone a significant digital transformation of their own. CRU offers analysis, forecasting and pricing services for the mining, metal and fertiliser industries. As such, its business is built around the effective analysis and use of data. “We’ve been working with CRU for roughly five years, enabling them to scale and provide effective data to their customers,” says Steve Cowell, Head of UK & Ireland. “At that stage, the company was embarking on its own digital transformation and had a lot of data in

Pyramid Analytics

silos and spreadsheets. They were looking for an advanced analytics platform that would allow effective data modelling, improved security and governance.” “We’ve spent a lot of time working with CRU to help them democratize and visualise their data and achieve real consistency across the organisation— ultimately transforming sales revenue reporting and driving portfolio growth. CRU is now able to more accurately forecast profit margin and influence how and what they sell. We are honored to be a trusted partner in their digital transformation and congratulate them on their tremendous success.” pyramidanalytics.com

CRU GROUP

To be successful, we have to add value and interpretation on top of that information, which CRU is very good at.” To manage this transformation and add value, Will explains that CRU “pulled back to the information and the content, rather than focus around the technology, which people do have a tendency to do. The latest tools don’t necessarily matter that much, for us the focus has always been the accessibility of data and information, the understanding of what our customers need to help them make effective business decisions, and how often and in what format do they need it. Only once we have the answer to those questions do we consider the technology necessary to deliver on them.” One essential implementation was a cloudfirst strategy, he explains. CRU consumes

May 2022

CRU GROUP

An insight into how CRU gathers content for its consumers

“ OUR CLOUD STRATEGY PROVED TO BE VERY RESILIENT AND WAS A KEY ENABLER IN ALLOWING BUSINESS TO CARRY ON EFFECTIVELY” WILL BLAKE

DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY & ANALYTICS, CRU GROUP miningdigital.com

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CRU GROUP

500+

sets and commodities prices published each week

300+

employees spread over 8 offices on 5 continents

different commodities analysised

May 2022

CRU GROUP

content from a multitude of locations globally, and by working in the cloud the business is able to achieve the flexibility and technical delivery to maximise on any investment. Similarly, Will notes that the business has focused on building on its core in-house technical and data skill sets in order to deliver effectively to customers. “Data is pivotal, so we keep that expertise within the business. We partner with other companies on things that we don’t see as core to our direct business, so networking communications, front-end website development,” he adds. CRU specialises in market-leading research built on robust and transparent

“FOR US THE FOCUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE ACCESSIBILITY OF DATA AND INFORMATION” WILL BLAKE,

DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY & ANALYTICS, CRU GROUP

methodologies. Regardless of specific sector or operation, its customers typically use the content and information provided to inform critical business decisions such as whether to enter a certain commodity market, for example. It also offers price assessments from a team of specialists in London, Beijing, Mumbai, Pittsburgh, Shanghai, Singapore and Santiago. Will explains that primary research in these areas covers supply, demand, price and costs analysis; the content is also used to build proprietary models that inform CRU’s forecasting under the strapline of ‘where commodities meet economics’. miningdigital.com

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hello.global.ntt

NTT: supporting global enterprises in the new digital era

CRU GROUP

We speak to Mo Meah, Client Partner at NTT with 25 years experience An insightsales into how CRU efficiently in the technology environment, onwith the the global pandemic dealt company’s partnership with CRU Group

Information provided by CRU helps Joining NTT in 2014, Mo Meah currently holds Group’s collaboration tools, which in turn has led “ W E’RE ALSO organisations navigate challenging market the position of Client Partner at the company. to NTT looking at other areas of the business This hascloud beenand evidenced most “NTT is a global ICT provider with a revenue conditions. such as security making use of digital LOOKING TO thethe company’s during of$11bn. As the 11th largest company in the recently events.in “So relationshipwork is moving in the right world, NTT’s focuses on supporting global direction to support their future business the global COVID-19 pandemic. Like all needs. DRIVE A LOT OF enterprise companies that are looking to utilise companies, One of theCRU keyfaced areas,the considering challengethe of global the new digital era of intelligent solutions, both pandemic that we’re currently experiencing, AUTOMATION to aable remote workingand business locally and regionally, as well as globally. NTT shifting is being to support work with their “It’s been very challenging,” Willtogether operates in over 50 countries, working with model. remote workers. We were able to put AND TO IMPROVE customers to build very long trusted relationships highlights, the ability“but to allow employees to work from home as we have offices in Beijing as a managed service provider,” comments Meah. and at Shanghai, very short which notice,”both he adds. enforced home OUR RANGE OF working in January, we were better placed to NTT’s relationship with CRU Group began four Meah details that NTT’s partnership with CRU for any potential 23able March DATA SOURCES, years ago, originating from an event hosted plan Group is one wheredisruption. they have On been to build by NTT. “Cloud Expo allowed CRU Group to wea moved strong relationship. “We have worked the whole global business – closely INCLUDING assess who they could go to market and who around with them to really where 300 people – tounderstand home working andthey’re would support them in establishing a more agile going as a business and being able to address it’s worked remarkably well. Our cloud and robust network. We actually bid on XXXX at some of those issues in terms of having better SATELLITE proved totools be very and was the time, and as part of that we effectively strategy communication and resilient allowing them the data in allowing business carrynetwork delivered a brand new infrastructure for an a key andenabler the voice to operate overtoone ANALYTICS” environment to support their business and oninterface. Our partnership makes their job a lot effectively.” consolidate their connectivity across the globe. easier becausehas they can relyengaged on their trusted The company also been Our network partner to worry about infrastructure, which WILL BLAKE, has enabled them to communicate in dedicated analysisonto the better more effectively with both employees and allows themCOVID-19 to concentrate key areas DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY understand how the virus is impacting customers,” comments Meah. of actually optimising and being more effective & ANALYTICS, in their business roles,” concludes commodities. “Disruption to supplyMeah. chains CRU GROUP As a result of this initial partnership, NTT has had has been significant,” Will states, “as well as the opportunity to branch out and unify CRU miningdigital.com

CRU GROUP

May 2022

CRU GROUP

short-term demand reduction. Alongside this, we’ve been tracking operational status of mines, smelters and refineries with our dedicated disruption tracker service, which has been embedded in our existing products. Our economics team has been closely analysing the impact of this disruption on global GDP and other economic indicators as our outlook shifts from what’s happening now to what the future looks like for our customers.” As to that future, Will describes a rapidly changing market that is showing the first signs of stability. Forecasting, he notes, always has a degree of flexibility, but CRU is experiencing commodities customers seeking answers to longer term questions, which demonstrates the response to COVID shifting from a survival mentality to one of strategically planning for the future. For CRU, future plans revolve around continuing to develop core services and the implementation of new technologies, says

Will. “We still have work to do to harness the volumes of data we need and make it more accessible – it’s a never ending evolution in that respect. We have just purchased a new data platform that will drive this growth and offer a greater range of analysis. We’re also looking to drive a lot of automation and to improve our range of data sources. The latter includes satellite analytics, which provides an enormous wealth of information at a global scale.” “In terms of our business, there are two big trends that will drive what we do: increasing electrification of transport and the changing structure of power generation, and carbon emissions and environmental sustainability. Both will contribute hugely to how our customers operate and they’ll form a key strategic area for us to move into.”

miningdigital.com

TECHNOLOGY

May 2022

DIGITAL PARTNERSHIPS AND IMAGING TOOLS BOOST MINING EFFICIENCY Technology continues to reinvent mining, with new digital and wireless partnerships alongside developments in hyperspectral imagery WRITTEN BY: DOMINIC ELLIS

miningdigital.com

Change is hard. The truth is that many mining companies are still very hesitant about furthering their digital mining transformations in fear of cost of implementation, risk and uncertainty. However, digital solutions from AVEVA can help mining companies reduce complexity and optimize business and operational performance. aveva.com @avevagroup linkedin.com/company/aveva

For more information, read our free E-Book on Digital Mining Transformation.

TECHNOLOGY

Martin Provencher, Industry Principal, Mining, Metals and Materials, AVEVA, said market and regulatory challenges push mining companies to seek innovative ways to optimise the reliability, efficiency, and safety of their operations, while maximising production. “How to perform state-of-the-art maintenance is currently one of their major concerns, as it is the key to improve performance, avoid potential equipment failure and reduce operating costs.” “Deloitte estimates that, by moving to predictive maintenance, mining operations can reduce maintenance planning time by 20-50% and reduce overall maintenance costs by 5-10%.” To facilitate advanced notice of potential asset failures before they occur, enable the personnel to proactively assess equipment, and schedule maintenance activities at

t’s been a period of non-stop innovation in the sphere of mining technology. AVEVA has announced a global partnership with Alizent, which aims to accelerate the digital transformation of asset-intensive industries. Both companies are combining forces to empower industries such as metals and mining to transform critical asset maintenance operations. The partnership will provide customers with bespoke solutions including enhanced confidentiality and cybersecurity, increased operability, and with continuous evolution over the long-term. Leveraging seamless Industrial AI-powered data within the cloud, users will be able to connect, automate, monitor and optimise industrial assets, processes and operations.

“ COMBINING AVEVA’S TECHNOLOGIES WITH ALIZENT’S SYSTEM INTEGRATION KNOW-HOW WILL HELP CUSTOMERS ACCELERATE THEIR TRANSITION TO MORE SUSTAINABLE MINING OPERATIONS” MARTIN PROVENCHER

INDUSTRY PRINCIPAL, MINING, METALS AND MATERIALS, AVEVA miningdigital.com

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the most economically advantageous time, many mining companies are already using the combination of AVEVA Predictive Analytics with PI System, its data management platform. “With a 10-20% OPEX reduction, the performance of this combination is tangible and helps mining companies find the right balance between risk-based and reliabilitycentred maintenance,” Provencher added. “AVEVA has deep experience in developing data-driven innovation to enable safety, sustainability and profitability across the global mining industry. Combining AVEVA’s technologies with Alizent’s system integration know-how will help customers accelerate their transition to more sustainable mining operations for enhanced asset performance at every level.” Kim Custeau, Senior Vice President, APM and MES, AVEVA, said customers across asset-intensive industries are seeking

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holistic, innovative and tailor-made digital solutions that enable them to transform current business- and asset-management processes to drive improved productivity and profitability. “The ambition behind our partnership with Alizent is to provide unmatched levels of integrated data, AI, and augmented analytics. As a result, our customers will be able to identify new opportunities to realise their current and future digitalisation goals,” she said. Guaranteeing continuous operation to meet customers’ needs 24/7 while improving the performance of their production units is an everyday challenge for asset-intensive industries. Nokia and Antofagasta Minerals deploy private wireless network Nokia and Antofagasta, one of the world’s leading copper miners, have teamed up

TECHNOLOGY

“ WE ARE WITNESSING THE FIRST WAVE OF INDUSTRY 4.0 PROJECTS IN LATIN AMERICA” MARCELO ENTRECONTI

HEAD OF ENTERPRISE FOR LATIN AMERICA, NOKIA

to accelerate digital transformation at the latter’s Minera Centinela operations in Chile, which are located approximately 1,350km north of Santiago. Nokia’s industrial-grade private wireless network will provide reliable, high-capacity and low latency connectivity for sensors and vehicles at the Centinela mine. Private 4.9G/LTE network, deployed within four months, will support operations — including an autonomous fleet of trucks — as part of a five-year digitalisation plan. Nokia designed and deployed the industrial-grade private 4.9G/LTE solution, including Nokia AirScale radio equipment, mobile packet core, IP/MPLS service aggregation routers, and Wavence microwave transmission. Gino Ivani, Technology Manager for Antofagasta Minerals, believes it is transforming the nature of mining operations.

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TECHNOLOGY

“We want to deliver excellence in everything we do, leveraging operational efficiencies to achieve the best results. We are committed to sustainable mining and to providing the safest, most efficient facilities,” he said. Leonardo Serra, Corporate Head of IT Projects at Antofagasta Minerals, states the essential nature of copper in the delivery of clean energy and, consequently, in emission reduction. “As demand for copper increases, we are deploying technology innovations, such as Nokia private wireless connectivity, allowing us to enhance productivity in a smart and sustainable way.” Nokia currently has more than 420 private wireless enterprise customers globally, including over 35 mining customers in more than 60 mines. Marcelo Entreconti, Head of Enterprise for Latin America at Nokia, said: “We are witnessing the first wave of Industry 4.0 projects in Latin America, and it is very exciting to watch them become a reality for mining companies like Antofagasta Minerals.

“ THE AMBITION BEHIND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ALIZENT IS TO PROVIDE UNMATCHED LEVELS OF INTEGRATED DATA, AI, AND AUGMENTED ANALYTICS” KIM CUSTEAU

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, APM AND MES, AVEVA

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Antofagasta's Centinela plant

“Nokia industrial-grade private wireless delivers the robust, secure, predictable and deep wireless coverage that mines require for large outdoor areas or underground complexes. Deploying these networks is considered the first and most important step in the digitalisation journey of mining companies, laying the groundwork for an expansion beyond connectivity, where Nokia is already proposing solutions to the global mining community.” Antofagasta’s Centinela open-pit mine produces copper concentrate and cathodes, as well as molybdenum and gold. In August 2021, Centinela obtained the Copper Mark, which certifies that the company operates under strict, internationally-recognised sustainable production standards. Plotlogic raises $18m for hyperspectral imaging Deep-tech mining startup Plotlogic, whose mission is to improve mining to make it more sustainable, has raised an $18mn Series A, led by Innovation Endeavors. The company plans to use the capital to invest in additional research and development, bolster commercialisation, and support Plotlogic's proprietary OreSense Technology. “The mining sector is hungry for solutions that improve safety, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and improve profitability. And miningdigital.com

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that's exactly what Plotlogic delivers with our innovative technology,” said CEO and co-founder Dr Andrew Job. "Mining is a critical industry, so we're passionate about helping make mining processes the best they can be, and we're thrilled to be supported by so many stakeholders who share our vision to make mining more sustainable." Founded in 2018 in Brisbane, Plotlogic helps mine operators increase output and reduce waste by identifying the location and material properties of every rock in their mine. By making the mining process more precise, Plotlogic's technology also has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Innovation Endeavors Partner, Sam SmithEppsteiner, states that bringing a new data

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modality to bear allows Plotlogic to generate precise, real-time, and predictive ore body knowledge. “Early customer relationships underscore the value of such improved understanding: optimised operations, reduced carbon emissions and waste, and increased access to minerals critical to the energy transition like nickel, copper and manganese,” she said. OreSense, Plotlogic’s first commercial product, combines LiDAR and hyperspectral imaging technology with advanced machine learning algorithms to deliver highly accurate ore characterisation in real time. Many of the world's top mining companies, including BHP, Anglo American and Glencore, use OreSense to make better decisions, improve ore recovery, reduce dilution, and enhance environmental and social governance performance.

TECHNOLOGY

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The copper mining sector may be experiencing extreme volatility but these countries are leading the pack in terms of meeting rising global demand WRITTEN BY: DOMINIC ELLIS

ith 5,600Kt of copper mined in 2021, Chile was the top copper producer worldwide, followed by Peru (2,200Kt) and China (1,800Kt). The copper market has been booming — surpassing US$10,000 per tonne last year — on account of strong global manufacturing activity, rising demand

for electric vehicles, constrained growth in world copper production, low stockpiles, and supply constraints owing to shipping delays. As such, declining production volumes and soaring prices mean it could be a challenging year ahead. Here are the top 10 copper producers worldwide. miningdigital.com

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MEXICO Last year, Mexico produced 732,863 tonnes of copper, showing a 4.6% decrease compared to the 768,542 in 2020, CAMIMEX reported. However, copper generated more than US$18bn in exports and, together with other metals, contributed about 8.3% of the country's GDP.

INDONESIA Indonesia is considering implementing a ban on copper concentrate exports from 2023. Currently, Indonesian copper concentrates are mainly exported to Asian countries such as China, with small volumes going to Japan.

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08 RUSSIA

Occupying the eighth spot in the copper producer league is Russia, with its copper production estimated to be 820,000 tonnes in 2021. The volume of copper produced fluctuated over the observed period, at its height measuring 883,000 tonnes in 2012. In light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions from the rest of Europe, it will now be targeting new markets such as China.

07 ZAMBIA

Zambian copper peaked at 720,000 tonnes in the 1970s, but it has been in progressive decline since. Fitch Solutions, however, forecast that this will grow an average 2.2% during the period of 2012-2030. Zambia's nationalistic resource rhetoric, coupled with an uncertain debt situation, will be a key deterrent for future copper mine investment in the country. miningdigital.com

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06 USA

Copper mining in the United States has been a major industry since the rise of the northern Michigan copper district in the 1840s. Copper exports in the United States increased to US$829.92mn in January, up from US$746.62mn in December 2021, while copper imports soared to US$1,420.73mn in January, up from US$854.03mn in December.

AUSTRALIA Australia is the third-largest exporter of copper ore in the world and enjoys a 7.1% share of an annual market — worth AU$64.2bn — along with Chile (29.1%) and Peru (20.3%), leading the trio of top copper ore exporters. China imports 43.2% of Australia’s annual copper ore exports, and the second largest destination is Japan (28.9%). miningdigital.com

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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO DRC is blessed with exceptional natural resources, including minerals such as cobalt and copper, as well as hydropower potential, significant arable land, immense biodiversity, and the world’s second largest rainforest. Refined copper is a US$4.06bn export market, while copper ore ($544mn) and raw copper ($249mn) are also key sectors.

03 CHINA

China's refined copper output totalled 10.49mn tonnes in 2021, up 7.4% year-on-year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, and its refined copper production capacity will continue increasing in 2022 amid a rising supply of copper concentrates. China’s copper consumption will reach 13.65mn tonnes this year, according to Statista research.

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PERU COVID-19 impacted Peru’s copper mining sector hard, with production declining around 13% to 2,137.6Kt, but there are signs of a rebound this year, with volumes totalling 199,255 tonnes in January, 12.7% up year-on-year. Southern Copper Corp is reportedly close to finalising a deal with a group of communities to lift a protest that led to the suspension of its Cuajone mine.

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CHILE Chile leads the league of copperproducing countries, despite just recording its lowest January output since 2011, with production dropping 15% from December, and its copper export revenue being $3.836bn in February, down 9.2% year-on-year. Its largest mines include Escondida, Collahuasi, El Teniente, Chuquicamata and Los Pelambres. The downward pressures provide little respite to a market grappling with low stockpiles and high prices. Chile’s economy is strongly dependent on the price of copper, which hit record highs in 2021 but is expected to come down in 2022. High demand for consumer goods is expected to cool considerably, especially in the face of rising inflation – which could send Chile into recession in the second half of the year.

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