Victor Thobakgale, African Rainbow Minerals. All photos: Karolina Komendera

The mine of the future will increasingly use digital technologies to optimise the extraction, processing, and transportation of materials. Smart sensors, analytics and automation already play a significant role in this sector. The rapid and often reluctant digitisation that all sectors underwent during the Covid pandemic lockdowns had a significant impact on the mining sector. However, despite largescale technology improvement efforts in this sector, many are still lagging behind.

“What if another major event like Covid hits us? How many mines will be left behind?” asks Victor Thobakgale, Technology Operations lead at African Rainbow Minerals (ARM). He adds that if the board doesn’t make the necessary investment now, the company will face a technical debt that will have to be paid in the future. It’s important to maintain a competitive edge, he adds. “How much money will mines have to spend, and how fast will they have to spend to ensure that they remain competitive?”