This axis focuses on integrating mines’ decision-making processes to perfectly coordinate every part of the business process. Typically, different mine departments try to optimize their performance without a “big-picture” vision of the mine’s activities. As a result, autonomous mines face a specific challenge: integrating decisions.

Themes:

• Integration of business processes and decision-making
• Development of smart operations monitoring and decision-making supports
• Development of adaptive management tools
• Application of cognitive ergonomics to integrated control rooms

This axis aims to use geometallurgy, from exploration to restoration, to enhance data and improve profitability via an innovative, integrated system-wide approach.

The knowledge and information extracted from mineralogical data throughout a mine’s life cycle will improve the economic and environmental viability of the mining industry as sustainable development becomes a growing priority.

Themes:

• Optimization of the mineral chain
• Geometallurgy (ore characterization)
• Development of analytical and predictive models
• Creation of digital twins

This axis focuses on developing adaptive, scalable management models for underground and open-pit mining plans, which will allow technologies to be used to their full potential in both current and future mines. The concept of autonomous mines only works if field activities are automated as well.

Themes:

• Creation of mine plan management models and use of emerging technologies
• Targeting and proof of concept of automated, applied, and smart monitoring and control technologies
• Promotion of health and safety and legislative change
• Improvement of social acceptability (workforce, local communities)