TECHNOLOGY •
Mahdi Bafande | Pexels
INSIGHTS INTO SA MINING ’ S 4IR , DIGITAL AND ESG VALUE CREATION , EXPLORED ( PART 2 )
Compiled by Sharyn Macnamara
Ian MacKay of PwC and Jean-Jacques Verhaeghe of the Mandela Mining Precinct delve into the 10 insights revealed by a second study into the State of Digitalisation and 4IR in SA Mining , introduced in part one of the African Mining series of articles .
CEOs and executives representing a cross-section of South Africa ’ s most prominent coal , platinum group metals , gold , iron ore , manganese , and other mined raw materials producers were interviewed in the second survey on ‘ The state of digital transformation in the South African mining industry ’ conducted by the Minerals Council South Africa , PwC ’ s Smart Mining Team and the Mandela Mining Precinct ’ s Real-Time Information Management Systems programme in 2022 / 23 . 1 PwC notes in the report that ,“ We identified ten key insights that we believe are consistent with other international studies and can be used by mining company executives and other decision makers to chart the course of their organisations ’ digital transformation journey .”
The second survey , conducted two years after the first , distinctly showed the convergence of two fundamental current phenomena
– digitalisation and ESG , and that factors of complexity and plurality are being managed differently in the industry . The following insights were addressed in detail at the Minerals Council South Africa and Mandela Mining Precinct event on " Leading on Innovation and 4IR in Mining – Keeping safety front and centre " on 22 February – and we touch on some top-line highlights of this discussion : 1 . Mining CEOs and their executives are being deliberate 2 . Technology is being applied where it has the greatest measurable benefit 3 . The hunt for value requires cooperation and compromise 4 . Digital tools don ’ t just measure , they contribute 5 . The imperatives for sustainability , and the crown jewels 6 . We are up to the challenge and have the tools to win 7 . Mining is about people – and we need to fight globally for talent
www . africanmining . co . za African Mining Publication African Mining African Mining • July 2023 • 17