Indigenous employment futures in an automated mining industry: an issues paper and a case for research

Abstract

New technologies – such as increased automation and robotics – are transforming the nature of mining. This paper discusses the implications of this shift for Indigenous peoples and the Indigenous mining workforce. During the past two decades the number of Indigenous employees has grown to unprecedented levels in jurisdictions like Australia and Canada. The predicted acceleration in mine automation could disrupt this positive trend. There are few indications that the global mining industry is proactively considering the potential downside effects of mine automation on Indigenous peoples. We argue that an examination of mine automation and its effects on Indigenous peoples is urgently required.