How can AI be used to make the mining industry more autonomous, efficient, and green? That was the question that was the focus of this year’s edition of the AI in Mining event, which was organized by Swedish Mining Innovation and AI Impact Lab at Örebro University. The use of digital technologies to support the green transition concerns all and is about to change all parts of society, not at least our industries and the mining and metals sector. Data driven decision making has great opportunities to better reach sustainability goals, decreased energy use, increased productivity, decreased resource demand, and not at least increase the safety in the mine. This is why Swedish Mining Innovation initiated the AI in Mining event, now held for the fourth time, in Örebro and digitally on February 14.
The event attracted around 100 people; 40 participating on site in Örebro and 60 online
Lotta Sartz, Senior Projekt Manager in Swedish Mining Innovation and also the host for the day was thrilled! She thinks the possibility to attend digitally enable this event to have a broad national participation, along with international organizations. It was also a broad mix of different organization types; mining companies, universities, large technology suppliers, specialized smaller tech companies, governmental agencies and journalists.
Renu Kannu, AARP
The event started with an international outlook from down under; a presentation by Renu Kannu from AARP (Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct), a testing ground for the future of automation, robotics, and remote operations in Western Australia. The participants learned about digital twins and simulations, both in extraction and processing, from Göran Stenberg (Epiroc), Simon Larsson (Luleå University of Technology), Oskar Lundberg (Epiroc), Todor Stoyanov (Örebro University) and Urban Wikman (Algoryx). Martin Rugfelt (SentianAI) gave us some examples of digital twins in practical cases, and Jyrki Salmi (University of Oulu) gave a presentation on BIM (Building Information Modeling) and how it can be used in the mining industry.
Jyrki Salmi, University of Oulu
The AI in Mining event opened up for new opportunities for collaboration
– I already now know of discussions that has taken place after the event, where participants have identified synergies and new project ideas that they will develop further, for instance connected to the presentation by Jyrki Salmi on BIM in the mining sector, says Lotta.
Malin Rosqvist, SIP PiiA
For a sustainable society we need sustainable mineral value chains, and for this we need to work together, in Sweden and the rest of the world, with digitalization and traceability along the value chain. The day ended with two presentations on this topic, from Daniel Eriksson Pitt (ChainTraced) and Malin Rosqvist (SIP PiiA).
“It is interesting to see synergies between projects in different programs – and to discuss further collaboration with the sister programs Swedish Mining Innovation, Metalliska Material and PiiA – Process industrial IT and Automation. One opportunity is to expand on the present collaboration in the Trace4Value project, another opportunity is to prepare for new joint projects to strengthen competitiveness in mining, metals and minerals through digitalization and twin transition.”
Malin Rosqvist, SIP PiiA
– It feels like we’ve found the right thing with the program content. For all the AI in Mining events that we have had, there has always been an international outlook, something that gives a bit of a wow feeling and inspiration for the future. This year we had a presentation about a test facility for automation and robotics in Perth, Australia; A gigantic facility where industry, research and innovation clusters can collaborate and test new solutions for safer and more sustainable full-scale mining.
What happens next?
– During the spring, as usual, we will arrange a Mining Lunch, this year it will be on May 17. Sara Carlsén from Boliden will talk about the great work that is being done in the industry in the field of biodiversity. This year’s Mining Mingle, Mining@ORU, will take place on September 25. As usual, it will be a packed program with a mix of research presentations and other things related to the mining ecosystem, says Lotta Sartz.
Oskar Lundberg, Epiroc and Urban Wikman, Algoryx.All Photos: Jesper Eriksson
