COMMENT
The future is created
by us, not for us
T
his year saw the 48 th
annual conference and
exhibition of the Institute of
Quarrying Southern Africa,
incorporating ASPASA, take place at
Umhlanga’s Coastlands Hotel on 20 to 21
April. As a newcomer to the quarrying
industry, this was the first conference I
have attended, and the opportunity to
meet those involved and hear first-hand
about the challenges the industry faces
was invaluable.
One thing that became abundantly clear
at the conference is that the legislation
governing South Africa’s quarrying industry
is extremely complex. The sheer number
and scale of the changes that have been
implemented in the mining sector over
the past few years is staggering, and they
have left industry members unsure of
how best to comply with ever-changing
rules. Despite these challenges, quarry
operators are continuously working to
improve their operations. One of the
ways in which they do this is by adopting
– and, where necessary, adapting – the
latest technologies.
Futurist Pieter Geldenhuys was one
of the keynote speakers at the IQSA
Conference, and he spoke about how the
ever-advancing pace of technological
change is impacting the world, as well as
the potential effects on the mining and
quarrying industries. As we become more
connected, the world becomes smaller and
the importance of data – and data security
– increases significantly. This is an area
that impacts all industries at all levels.
But while encryption, technology,
big data, smart materials, additive
manufacturing, transport and
communication will all have a significant
impact on the world of tomorrow,
Geldenhuys identified three major trends
to watch in the future: energy and energy
efficiency; how intelligence is defined
(and redefined); and the pace and nature
of change.
Technologies such as unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAVs, or drones) are already
starting to play a prominent role in the
mining and construction spaces, while
the capabilities of tools like virtual and
augmented reality are rapidly expanding.
Hand-held spectrum analysers already
exist, and additive manufacturing and
3D printing are rising in popularity – all
advances that have enormous potential
for disruption.
However, while Geldenhuys gave
conference attendees some insight into
the technologies that may shape our lives
in the future, he also reminded us that
ultimately, it is entrepreneurs – people
– who take these technologies from
niche or bespoke uses and make them
available across entire industries. And it
is these people who, by finding new uses
for technology, ultimately have a lasting
effect on the world. n
Robyn Grimsley - Editor
[email protected]
QUARRY SA | JULY 2017 _ 1