Mining 4.0: How digitalization secures the future of raw material extraction!

Mining 4.0: How digitalization secures the future of raw material extraction!

A new, intelligent drilling rig is being tested in the over 140 meter deep pilot plant at the Reichen Zeche, a research and teaching mine at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg. Project employee Max Friedemann, equipped with a helmet, rubber boots and overalls, demonstrates the progress towards the digitalization of mining. This effort aims to optimize the drilling process, increase efficiency and enable better monitoring. All relevant data is summarized in a digital infrastructure and evaluated over days tu-freiberg.de reports.

What makes this drill special is the real-time data transmission, which is supported by an underground fiber optic network. This state-of-the-art technology ensures that the information can be stored and analyzed in the cloud. Of particular note is the communication between the drilling rig and an artificial intelligence (AI) capable of mapping the geology of the borehole during drilling and monitoring various parameters such as rotation speed, hydraulic pressures, vibrations and oscillations.

Challenges in mining

Mining is often caught between social necessity and negative associations that shape the industry's image. These four Ds – Dark, Dirty, Dusty, Dangerous – are deeply anchored in the consciousness. Professor Dr.-Ing. Elisabeth Clausen from RWTH Aachen has therefore set herself the goal of transforming this outdated image through the concept of “Mining 4.0”. Her research focuses on digitalization and automation within the industry to make mining safer, cleaner, more autonomous and more ecological. Their interdisciplinary teams are working on advanced sensor technology systems that will be integrated into mining machines in the future, promises rwth-aachen.de.

The challenges facing the industry are significant. Environmental issues, safety risks and rising costs are just a few of the issues plaguing the industry. Additionally, the Deloitte study “Tracking the Trends 2016” identifies ten critical issues that mining companies must address. Key strategies to address these challenges include intelligent data collection and innovation support, as shown on mining-report.de is presented.

The role of digitalization

The term Industry 4.0 stands for the progressive digitalization of industrial processes and is a central concept for improving efficiency in the various industrial sectors. While some industries have already made significant progress, the mining sector is lagging behind. However, the necessary technologies are available and hold great potential for increasing efficiency. Automation is crucial in this context and is seen as the basis for digitalization in the mining industry. Solutions such as the Minerals Automation Standard (MinAS) from Siemens offer approaches to automation and should be actively considered by companies.

Collaboration with trustworthy partners is crucial for developing and implementing successful digitalization strategies. These strategies can open up new business models and opportunities, with the availability of sensors and the decision about data storage – local or in the cloud – being central. It is time for the mining industry to fully exploit the possibilities of digitalization to sustainably meet the growing demand for raw materials.