Data-driven innovations in the mining industry: An interview with solutions expert Glenn Kerkhoff

Posted: September 24, 2024

As a leader in industrial transformation, AVEVA experts have a front-seat view to how global mining companies are increasing their operating efficiency, sustainability and safety. We sat down with AVEVA mining industry principal, Glenn Kerkhoff, to learn how data management solutions are delivering business results.

1. Can you provide specific examples of how data management challenges are impacting the overall operational efficiency of mining companies?

Glenn: In operational technology (OT), data is generated by individual systems responsible for maintenance, operations, safety, energy usage, and sustainability tracking, and is often stored in separate databases connected to those systems. The resulting data silos limit data usability, which is also exacerbated by the remote location and connectivity issues of many mining operations.

The result is an abundance of data that, if not integrated, hampers understanding of business operations. For example, one company we worked with lacked visibility into the raw material being recovered at one of their mines. Production managers could only plan and schedule processing when the material finally arrived at the plant. This led to delays in production and idle time at the plant that could have been avoided with better visibility between departments. Integrating data from different systems is crucial for large mining companies with multiple global sites.

2. What types of data are mining companies transforming into actual business value?

Glenn: Companies are integrating their OT data with information from outside the OT realm to solve new types of problems.

For instance, a mining company in Latin America is automatically issuing work orders from their maintenance system after analyzing performance data using AI and machine learning to predict that a mining truck's turbocharger is likely to fail within 45 days. This process involves more than just OT data; it also requires coordinating maintenance schedules, ordering spare parts, and managing maintenance crews. This integration of OT data with other systems—such as financial, purchasing, and scheduling—lets them reduce downtime and maximize productivity.

AVEVA helps customers build seamless solutions that bridge OT and IT use cases with vendor-neutral data collection, advanced analytics and real-time data sharing with external sources like Azure, AWS, ERP systems, and financial budgeting tools.

3. What is a common pitfall that companies encounter when it comes to managing data effectively?

Glenn: A common pitfall is failing to standardize data across different operations from the start.

For instance, consider a mining site in Canada that tracks machinery and assigns specific delay codes. Meanwhile, a sister site in Africa uses a different set of delay codes. This lack of standardization makes it difficult to compare and integrate information between the sites. Without a unified approach, the data becomes fragmented and less useful for broader analysis.

Another challenge is data loss. When data is lost or not collected, a company might waste time implementing a solution that doesn’t really address the problem. AVEVA data management solutions focus on data reliability and availability to maximize results. All data generated at a site must be properly managed; without a hybrid infrastructure, there is a risk of losing this critical data. If data is lost or not properly collected, companies cannot effectively track their progress toward sustainability goals. Ensuring the continuity of mission-critical operational technology at the site edge is fundamental to a hybrid infrastructure. This approach helps maintain data integrity and supports accurate monitoring and reporting of sustainability efforts.

4. How does the increasing demand for minerals and metals as a result of a global shift focus on sustainability impact the need for hybrid data infrastructure?

Glenn: The mining industry is driven in large part by the demand for electric vehicles and high-storage batteries. Availability of copper is a key bottleneck. Current global copper production is insufficient to meet future needs, which could require production to increase six to eight times. That’s the good news. The bad news is that getting a new mine to operate profitably can take years. The key to success is accelerating that process.

We help our mining customers understand what is happening in their physical operations —including at their remote sites and with their smart equipment. For example, knowing that a truck delivering critical raw material has stopped moving can proactively initiate a maintenance work order and accelerate recovery. A data infrastructure that extends to the edge of operations and can send critical information automatically to the company’s maintenance system—no matter where it is hosted—can reduce downtime and operating costs. AVEVA offers a fully integrated hybrid data infrastructure that operates from edge to plant to cloud. 

5. Are there any specific regulations or compliance requirements that the companies you work with must adhere to, and if so, how does this impact the way they manage data?

Glenn: Looking ahead, regulations and reporting requirements for mining companies will increasingly focus on carbon footprints and scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. Major mining companies are implementing procedures to gather comprehensive data from diverse systems for accurate reporting. This data comes from numerous and diverse sources, both within and outside the mine, including power companies, suppliers and vendors. Our customers need ways to aggregate and standardize the data in order to effectively meet reporting requirements.

6. Specifically, how could a hybrid data infrastructure improve safety, security, and asset efficiency for companies within the mining, metal and minerals industry?

Glenn: A hybrid environment is essential, with mission-critical systems on-site for high availability and less critical systems in the cloud for better accessibility and easier reporting.

On-site systems ensure continuous operation, asset efficiency and production safety, maintaining essential functions around the clock. For instance, consider a large mining truck operating from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM. If the driver falls asleep, it could lead to serious accidents or fatalities. To address this, an AI safety system within the truck uses advanced cameras to monitor the driver and vibrates the seat to wake him if necessary.

If this safety system were cloud-based and the site lost internet connectivity, it could lead to dangerous situations, emphasizing the need for critical systems to remain on-site. By keeping mission-critical functions local and utilizing the cloud for less vital operations, companies can enhance both safety and operational efficiency.

7. What role will data play in supporting innovation and improvement in the mining, metal and minerals industry? 

Glenn: Automation and robotics are the major areas of focus for the industry. The mining industry is struggling to find employees as the workforce willing to work laborious jobs in remote locations is diminishing. Instead of trying to find someone willing to drive a large mining truck in the Arctic Circle, companies are now shifting to remote technology that allows a person to be in an office in Chicago, in front of a computer screen, seeing what the truck sees and controlling it remotely. This helps the industry cater to what employees are looking for and allows mining operations to scale up their production as demand relating to green technologies increases.

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AVEVA will be at MineExpo from September 24^th- 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada to demonstrate how our solutions can deliver critical industrial intelligence. Connect with our experts to discuss your specific needs and discover how our solutions can deliver business results.

Learn more about how AVEVA’s solutions are helping the mining industry.