Tuesday 3 September 2013

12 Technologies Set To Transform Mining



Emerging technologies are set to change the way miners operate over the next decade.

Delivering improved productivity, cost savings, and safety advancements a report from the McKinsey Global Institute has identified 12 technologies that could drive economic transformations in coming years.

While not all will directly impact mining, they will play a role in mining’s supporting sectors including manufacturing and health.

The report explains that the combined application of all 12 technologies, including advanced robotics, energy storage, and mobile internet could have a potential impact of between $14 trillion and $33 trillion a year in 2025.

Topping the list is mobile internet which is expected to improve worker productivity and service delivery.

Enhanced communication technology has not only improved mine site safety but transformed the way safety is managed.
The roll out of the Federal Government's National Broadband Network is expected to create a wealth of opportunity for the mine sites it touches, and the increased bandwidth that comes with the NBN will enable the facilitation of increased remote mining operations.