德勤-2018塑造矿业形态的十大要项-2018.2-74页-1mb

2018 Mining Trends Summary

Core Content

This report, titled Tracking the Trends 2018, is the tenth edition of Deloitte's annual analysis of the mining industry. It highlights the ongoing transformation of the sector, driven by digital innovation, changing stakeholder expectations, and the need for sustainable practices. The report outlines key challenges and opportunities facing mining companies in the coming decade.

Main Viewpoints

• Digital Transformation: Mining companies are increasingly leveraging data and digital technologies to optimize operations, reduce costs, and improve safety. The digital mine concept is becoming a central theme, with the integration of IoT, AI, and RPA enabling more informed decision-making and operational efficiency.
• Innovation Barriers: Despite the need for innovation, mining companies face several challenges, including a risk-averse culture, short-term focus, lack of a clear innovation vision, and an inclination to work in isolation. These barriers hinder the adoption of transformative technologies and practices.
• Collaboration and Ecosystems: The report emphasizes the importance of collaboration in overcoming innovation challenges. By working with external partners, including juniors, service providers, and competitors, mining companies can reduce risks and accelerate the development of new solutions.
• Future of Work: The digital mine is reshaping the workforce, reducing the need for manual labor and enabling a more diverse and inclusive workforce. Automation is expected to significantly impact employment, with Deloitte predicting that 35% of current UK mining jobs could be automated by 2035.
• Sustainability and Environmental Impact: Companies are focusing on reducing their environmental footprint through innovative technologies and practices, such as using natural moisture in ore processing and deploying mobile excavators and crushers to cut fuel and waste.

Key Information

• Digital Strategy Development: Companies must define a clear digital strategy, aligning it with business goals and integrating it into their operations. A digital nerve center is essential for aggregating data across the value chain.
• Data Utilization: The report stresses the importance of capturing and managing the right data, using advanced analytics to improve decision-making and operational performance.
• Digital Twin Concept: A digital twin can help manage asset information throughout the lifecycle, improving planning, prediction, and simulation.
• Innovation Maturity: Mining companies need to move beyond operational improvements to achieve innovation maturity, by embedding a broader range of capabilities and fostering a culture of innovation.
• Collaborative Ecosystems: Structured collaborative ecosystems can reduce innovation risk and costs, allowing for the co-creation of solutions with external partners.
• Commodities of the Future: With declining ore grades and limited tier one assets, there is a growing focus on emerging commodities such as rare earth elements and polymetallic nodules from the ocean floor.

Leading Strategies in Focus

Develop a Digital Strategy

• Define a clear vision for the future digital mine.
• Ensure digital initiatives are aligned with business value.
• Test new approaches in pilot or sandbox environments before full implementation.

Start Small

• Begin with small, manageable digital projects to build momentum.
• Invest in data visualization and integration to enable better analysis.
• Use AI and RPA to automate tasks and improve operational efficiency.

Create a Digital Twin

• Build a digital model of the physical environment using geological, engineering, and asset data.
• Continuously update the model with real-time data from sensors and mobile devices.
• Focus on improving data management and maturity to support the digital twin.

Become an Insight-Driven Organization

• Embed data science and analytics capabilities across the organization.
• Use insights to drive intelligent business decisions and improve stakeholder relationships.
• Overcome limitations of legacy ERP systems by adopting modern data platforms.

Develop a Systematized Approach to Innovation

• Define innovation strategy and rally employees around it.
• Focus on key thematic areas such as automation, sustainability, and stakeholder engagement.
• Implement structured innovation processes and manage innovations as a portfolio.

Build Organizational Support

• Make innovation a leadership priority and implement governance systems.
• Encourage a culture where failure is acceptable and innovation is supported.
• Include external stakeholders such as competitors, suppliers, and communities in the innovation process.

Secure the Right Resources and Competencies

• Adequately fund and support innovation initiatives.
• Hire and develop talent with digital and analytical skills.
• Empower leaders to champion innovation through the right tools and processes.

Develop Metrics and Incentives to Guide Performance

• Monitor innovation from concept to commercialization.
• Align metrics and incentives with the innovation strategy.
• Use innovation testing grounds to allow for experimentation and rapid iteration.

From Left Field: Emerging Opportunities

• Undersea Mining: With a growing demand for rare minerals, undersea mining is gaining attention. The World Economic Forum estimates that the ocean floor contains 10 billion tons of polymetallic nodules.
• Deep Sea Exploration: Innovations in surveying and robotics are making deep sea extraction more feasible. Companies like DeepGreen Resources are exploring polymetallic nodules with a focus on environmental sustainability.
• Sustainability Focus: The mining industry is under pressure to reduce its environmental impact. Techniques such as using natural moisture in ore processing and mobile crushing systems are being adopted to minimize resource consumption and waste.

Conclusion

The mining sector is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the need for digital innovation, stakeholder collaboration, and sustainable practices. Companies must rethink their traditional models and embrace a more agile and data-driven approach to remain competitive and relevant in the evolving industry landscape.