Tenorio Discusses Machine Learning in Mining

MGE professor of practice Victor Tenorio recently spoke with AI researcher Ali Soofastaei about how artificial intelligence is changing the mining industry, and leading to what is described as "Mining 4.0"

"We can summarize the definition of mining 4.0 as the new type of mining, some people call it digital mining or smart mining, all of them are the same. The name comes from the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or the Internet of Things," Tenorio said. "I think the mining industry is a perfect scenario for using these technologies. This is because we work with data from the beginning, from exploration, drilling, samples, and the creation of the models, operation, controls... The most important thing that you can control in this data is mitigating the variability of the results or the values you have."

Tenorio explained that the mining industry's most significant areas for digital solutions include automation, production chains, sensors and holistic benefits for mining systems.

"I think we will see more of these technologies applied into common or normal operations," Tenorio said. "We have now autonomous trucks and perhaps in the future we may have autonomous excavators. For me, one of the most exciting advancements is blockchain that is associated with the entire mining process."