MST GLOBAL
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“ Technology is going to change over time , and whatever we put into the underground space has to be upgradeable ”
— Haydn Roberts , CEO , MST Global
1989 Denis Kent with MST founder Gary Zamel and Voest Alpine founder Chris McGuinn Newstan Coal Mine to the US and worked for a surface mining company in California . I got quite involved in the technology side of mining at this particular open-pit surface mine with things like fleet dispatch , GPS and mine planning .” Roberts ’ career has seen him involved in a number of technological advances in the mining industry , including the introduction of autonomous trucks back in the mid-90s .
Digital transformation has perhaps an even more critical aspect in an industry such as mining , with lives potentially on the line in the harsh environment of an underground mine . “ Communication ’ s very difficult , you can ’ t see each other that easily , you ’ re working in different parts of the mine and so forth ,” emphasises Roberts . “ So by definition you ’ re a very distributed workforce in a very risky environment .” Gone are the days , however , when miners had to rely on canaries for safety . “ Digitalisation lets you build a digital ecosystem where everything is connected . You have the ability to track people and equipment , you have the ability to put in sensors that can detect methane and different
FEBRUARY 2020