Mining companies are using AI, machine learning, and robots to improve efficiency and productivity. Rio Tinto uses autonomous haul trucks and trains, sensors to monitor equipment and predict maintenance needs, and machine learning to optimize mineral exploration and sorting. Rio Tinto collects 2.4 terabytes of data per minute from sensors to monitor operations and create a digital twin model to test scenarios. The technologies improve safety, reduce costs, and increase productivity by 10-13% but require retraining workers with new data analytics skills.

1. How Mining Companies Are Using
AI, Machine Learning And Robots
To Get Ready For
The 4th Industrial Revolution

2. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Title
Text
IntroductionIntroduction
How Mining Companies Are Using AI, Machine
Learning And Robots To Get Ready For The 4th
Industrial Revolution
In an industry such as mining where improving efficiency and productivity is crucial to
profitability, even small improvements in yields, speed and efficiency can make an
extraordinary impact. Mining companies basically produce interchangeable commodities.
The mining industry employs a modest amount of individuals—just 670,000 Americans are
employed in the quarrying, mining and extraction sector—but it indirectly impacts nearly
every other industry since it provides the raw materials for virtually every other aspect of
the economy.

3. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Title
Text
IntroductionIntroduction
How Mining Companies Are Using AI, Machine
Learning And Robots To Get Ready For The 4th
Industrial Revolution
It's already been 10 years since the British/Australian mining company Rio Tinto began to
use fully autonomous haul trucks, but they haven’t stopped there.
Here are just a few ways Rio Tinto and other mining companies are preparing for the 4th
industrial revolutions by creating intelligent mining operations.
Rio Tinto’s operations include 16 mines, 1,500km of rail, three ports and more, and it creates
2.4 terabytes of data every minute from all of its mobile equipment and sensors that collect
and transmit data in real-time to help monitor equipment.

4. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Title
Text
IntroductionIntroduction
How Mining Companies Are Using AI, Machine
Learning And Robots To Get Ready For The 4th
Industrial Revolution
Rio Tinto’s former CEO Sam Walsh, when speaking at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit,
explained how the company has successfully integrated these multiple mines into an
integrated processing and logistics system controlled by operators not located at the
physical site.

5. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
IntroductionMineral Exploration
Artificial intelligence and machine learning can help mining companies find minerals to
extract, a critical component of any smart mining operation. Although this is a fairly new
application of AI and machine learning, many mining companies are excited about the
prospect.
Goldspot Discoveries Inc. is a company that aims to make finding gold more of a science than
art by using machine learning. Similarly, Goldcorp and IBM Watson are collaborating to use
artificial intelligence to review all the geological info available to find better drilling locations
for gold in Canada.
These efforts to be more precise when finding areas to mine by using machine learning can
help the mining industry be more profitable.

6. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
IntroductionAutonomous Vehicles And Drillers
While many of us have been focused on the progress Uber, Google and Tesla have made with
autonomous vehicles many people don’t realize that Rio Tinto had already been using
autonomous haul trucks that can carry 350 tons and operate totally independently since
2008.
These trucks have impacted the company’s bottom line by reducing fuel use by 13 percent
and are safer to operate. While arguably the challenges of autonomous driving in a quarry
aren’t as daunting—the trucks move slow, they don’t have to worry about pedestrians—it’s
still a notable accomplishment.
This year, the company’s long-haul autonomous rail system will go live and is the next step in
developing the Mine of the Future. With 244 cars, the autonomous train has been in
development for five years, but will make its debut by the end of the year after some software
and communication glitches have been worked out.
In addition, Rio Tinto has used autonomous loaders and drilling systems for several years. Just
as with other autonomous applications, the company asserts the innovation has improved
productivity by 10 percent.

7. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
IntroductionSorting Minerals
In the majority of mining operations, a much larger volume of materials needs to
be removed to find the valuable materials they are mining for.
Inevitably, separating the useless rocks and debris to get to what you're mining for
tends to be an expensive endeavour.
Some companies have begun to use smart sorting machines that can sort the
mined material based on whatever criteria a company wants.
This work can lead to savings in fuel and energy during processing.

8. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
IntroductionDigital Twinning
As part of making the pit-to-port operations as intelligent as possible, Rio Tinto is
creating an intelligent mine that should deliver its first ore by 2021.
There are more than 100 innovations the company is evaluating, but one initiative
called digital twinning, first created by NASA, is now being adopted by many in the
industrial sector.
By creating a virtual model that is fed real-time data from the field, scenarios can
be quickly tested, and operations and production can be optimized.
This ability to test out decisions before they are implemented in a replica system
leads to better outcomes and savings.

9. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
IntroductionSafety and Maintenance
Thanks to Internet of Things technology and sensors, mining equipment can be
monitored and maintained before breakdowns occur.
Sensors can monitor temperature, speed, and vibration on machines to take action
transforming preventative maintenance into predictive maintenance. By assessing
real-time data and analytics, mining operations can be safer for all involved.
This adoption of this new tech requires reskilling the mine workers, and Rio Tinto is
already taking steps by partnering with the Australian government and a vocational
training provider to help fill the gap.
Collectively, they will spend $2 million to up-skill potential and existing workers to
handle tasks in analytics, IT and robotics.

10. © 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website
© 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website

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