Industry 4.0 Roadmap for the Mining Sector

摘要

The mining industry is by nature a challenging and demanding sector. Beyond ore extraction, management, processing, and transportation are involved in mining activities. Mining operations, often located in geographically remote and isolated areas, are capital-intensive and have substantial environmental and social impacts. The sector is considered mature and conservative regarding innovation. Nevertheless, its multidimensional nature, combined with declining ore grades and the increased demand for scarce resources, generates an imperative for innovation and the adoption of new technologies. In line with Industry 4.0, Mining 4.0 is the framework for integrating technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), automated drones, 3D printing, robotics, sensors, data analytics for monitoring, and performance evaluation in the mining industry. The legislation, the regulatory framework, and governance arrangements often create barriers to the adoption of innovative concepts in the mining sector. This study is an overview of gaps, barriers, inefficiencies, and enablers in the regulatory framework of the mining sector in relation to the utilization of new technologies.