Multinational consulting engineers SRK Consulting director, Andrew van Zyl, stresses that technology, through the efficiencies it enables, is an important tool for retaining jobs in mining. The sector has been in a long period of decline, and technology is an opportunity to arrest that decline by improving the viability of operations and keeping people employed.
Consequently, this will allow for an increase in mine life or an expansion in operations because lower-cost production can facilitate the potential exploitation of lower-grade ore.
"Applying new technologies could contribute to these efforts. We are seeing breakthroughs in the use of remote machinery and technologies, which can improve safety and productivity. The trialling of hydrogen-driven mine trucks locally is another development that shows potential for efficiency gains."
Andrew adds that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the measures implemented in terms of the lockdown regulations, may have made conducting on-site consulting work not only more challenging but further emphasised the importance of using new technologies to improve efficiencies and save costs.
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