XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 1093
by artificial intelligence and supported by remote experts,
with 100% predictive maintenance, and no unplanned
shutdowns. Here, the drive for digitalization extends to
optimizing equipment and processes to grow production
and recoveries, the need for technologically advanced pro-
duction methods for new mines coming online, reducing
environmental footprint, and ensuring efficiency improve-
ment through digital and automation. However, despite
the growing traction of digitalization, the path has proven
difficult in the mineral processing industry.
This paper explores the practical aspects of our digi-
talization efforts, focusing on the use of slurry pumps
that are commonly used by the mining and mineral pro-
cessing industry. Figure 1 illustrates the typical areas in
which pumps are distributed throughout the industry.
Customer challenges with slurry pumps in mining include
strict environmental, safety, and social regulations, declin-
ing ore grades, difficulties in predicting failures, lost pro-
duction due to unplanned maintenance, inventory and
maintenance planning, labour and expertise shortage, and
increasing energy consumption and costs. The paper takes
a reflective approach, covering observations, innovations,
field case examples, ongoing developments, and lessons
learned throughout the journey.
MARKET MATURITY
While the mining industry has witnessed a growing inter-
est in digitalization over the years, the market is still in its
infancy. BCG’s Digital Acceleration Index (DAI) reveals
that metals and mining companies lag 30–40% behind
peers like automotive and chemicals (Ganeriwalla et al.,
2021). This aligns with Rockwell Automation’s findings that
most mines are in the pre-implementation stage, with only
10% showcasing even one completed project (Rockwell
Automation, 2019). In 2021 Barnewold and Lottermoser
conducted an extensive study of digital technologies and
trends in the mining industry, by analysing published min-
ing journals, media and insight reports by leading con-
sultants since 2010. They identified 107 different digital
technologies being pursued and could only identify 158
active surface and underground mines actively implement-
ing digital technologies, revealing a very limited uptake in
general in the industry (Barnewold &Lottermoser, 2020).
Furthermore, our own extensive internal and external inter-
views (100+) confirm the same slower pace. Several factors
contribute to this slower pace such as conservative culture,
high capital intensity, vast geographical sprawl, remote
locations, significant hazard levels, high level of uncertainty,
volatile commodity price, worker resistance to change,
cybersecurity concerns, stable connectivity woes, challenges
of integration and large data management, lack of digital
vision, limited market knowledge, and scarce skilled talent
(Ediriweera &Wiewiora, 2021 Gleeson, 2022b). Hence,
to guide and address these concerns we need to develop
action for ease of doing business such as standardized sys-
tems and best practices to simplify operations and promote
Figure 1. Typical pump usage areas in the mining and mineral processing industry indicated in red circles
by artificial intelligence and supported by remote experts,
with 100% predictive maintenance, and no unplanned
shutdowns. Here, the drive for digitalization extends to
optimizing equipment and processes to grow production
and recoveries, the need for technologically advanced pro-
duction methods for new mines coming online, reducing
environmental footprint, and ensuring efficiency improve-
ment through digital and automation. However, despite
the growing traction of digitalization, the path has proven
difficult in the mineral processing industry.
This paper explores the practical aspects of our digi-
talization efforts, focusing on the use of slurry pumps
that are commonly used by the mining and mineral pro-
cessing industry. Figure 1 illustrates the typical areas in
which pumps are distributed throughout the industry.
Customer challenges with slurry pumps in mining include
strict environmental, safety, and social regulations, declin-
ing ore grades, difficulties in predicting failures, lost pro-
duction due to unplanned maintenance, inventory and
maintenance planning, labour and expertise shortage, and
increasing energy consumption and costs. The paper takes
a reflective approach, covering observations, innovations,
field case examples, ongoing developments, and lessons
learned throughout the journey.
MARKET MATURITY
While the mining industry has witnessed a growing inter-
est in digitalization over the years, the market is still in its
infancy. BCG’s Digital Acceleration Index (DAI) reveals
that metals and mining companies lag 30–40% behind
peers like automotive and chemicals (Ganeriwalla et al.,
2021). This aligns with Rockwell Automation’s findings that
most mines are in the pre-implementation stage, with only
10% showcasing even one completed project (Rockwell
Automation, 2019). In 2021 Barnewold and Lottermoser
conducted an extensive study of digital technologies and
trends in the mining industry, by analysing published min-
ing journals, media and insight reports by leading con-
sultants since 2010. They identified 107 different digital
technologies being pursued and could only identify 158
active surface and underground mines actively implement-
ing digital technologies, revealing a very limited uptake in
general in the industry (Barnewold &Lottermoser, 2020).
Furthermore, our own extensive internal and external inter-
views (100+) confirm the same slower pace. Several factors
contribute to this slower pace such as conservative culture,
high capital intensity, vast geographical sprawl, remote
locations, significant hazard levels, high level of uncertainty,
volatile commodity price, worker resistance to change,
cybersecurity concerns, stable connectivity woes, challenges
of integration and large data management, lack of digital
vision, limited market knowledge, and scarce skilled talent
(Ediriweera &Wiewiora, 2021 Gleeson, 2022b). Hence,
to guide and address these concerns we need to develop
action for ease of doing business such as standardized sys-
tems and best practices to simplify operations and promote
Figure 1. Typical pump usage areas in the mining and mineral processing industry indicated in red circles