TECHNOLOGY •

Compiled by Sharyn Macnamara

Digital transformation is an imperative for mining , it is a non-negotiable value add , serving as a seamless thread through all mining value chain processes , enhancing health and safety , security , production and the capabilities of both workforce and leadership – the implementation of which must be executed with care and responsibility .

The evolution of digitalisation in SA mining There are some distinct differences between the two studies , which indicate how the country ’ s mining industry has evolved through its digitalisation journey and how the focus and priorities of mining houses have changed . While the 2020 study focused purely on digital transformation and 4IR readiness , the 2022 study expanded to include current essential global ESG ( Environmental , Social and Governance ) aspects . Furthermore , the target respondents for the former were predominantly CEOs , while this time , many respondents were nominated senior leaders at the companies , including organised labour representative interviews . Baxter explained that the latest anonymised study ’ s main objective was to “ get people to speak freely and openly ” as well as to search for a broad range of opinions to extrapolate the implications of digital transformation on South African mining and ESG – thereby formulating impact statements and addressing the “ so-what ’ s ” as opposed to the previous study ’ s focus on “ the why ”.

Baxter said of the second study , “ We addressed vision , priorities and strategy ; workforce , business sustainability ; ESG imperatives ; and stakeholder collaborations – a critical component . Another striking difference from the previous study is how prolific and integrated all the issues have become ,” said Baxter . “ They are multifaceted , they are complex , but they all are all integrated . They all have an impact on each other over time . We can no longer speak about these issues in silos , they are holistically connected and comprise of systems of systems .”

© Sharyn Macnamara , African Mining

Roger Baxter , outgoing CEO of the Minerals Council , in February introduced the second study into ‘ the State of Digitalisation and 4IR in SA Mining ’ completed in collaboration with PwC ’ s Smart Mining Team , and the Mandela Mining Precinct ’ s Real-Time Information Management Systems programme .

There is a move away from distinct point solutioning : use , re-use , optimise and re-use again is now a preference .

www . africanmining . co . za African Mining Publication African Mining African Mining • June 2023 • 25