Automation Leading to Healthier Mines

Few industries are disconnected from technological development and automation. Mining is certainly changing due to these advancements, and this is leading to an environment that is safer for ecosystems and workers alike. In a recent video from the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, MGE PhD student Kate Willa Brown Requist discussed how the changing mining industry is evolving along the entire process "from exploration to reclamation." 

"We want to develop systems that are not creating ecological harm and are not creating human harm," Requist said. "That's the nature of being a non-renewable resource. We can have mines that have been operating for over 100 years; however, at some point, all of those mines are going to have to close. So what is the plan after closure?" 

These continuity plans involve not only the environment, but the businesses and families in the area after a mine eventually closes down. Sustainable practices around mine tailings support these plans, as does automation of machines. 

"I think the greatest opportunity that we're seeing around the world right now, is we are beginning to remove humans from point-of-contact with the mine," Requist said. "We can have people hundreds of miles away operating vehicles at a mine site. They're able to live in cities. They have more access to resources and are not as geographically dependent on a mine to make money. That's a really promising development."