TECHNOLOGY
However , as the exploration of new deposits become increasingly complex , including lower ore grades , deeper deposits and high-stress environments , the number of injuries and fatalities in mining remains persistently high . This is where technological innovations offer a lifeline . The World Economic Forum projects that automation and robotics could prevent 10,000 injuries in the mining and metals industries in the decade to 2025 .
Through the implementation of AI-powered autonomous systems , mining companies are now able to use self-controlled machines to take charge of the operations in hostile environments . This move will not only significantly reduce the threat to miners ’ lives , however , the rise of the ‘ digital mine ’ is also set to boost overall productivity with machines able to work 24 / 7 . China ’ s coal mines have been boosting intelligent mining technologies to reduce accidents with more robots working underground . The number of pieces of machinery equipped with smart mining technologies reached 494 at the end of 2020 , up 80 percent on 2019 . Nineteen kinds of robots
78 March 2021