Opening the door to the mines of the future

Rapid technological change is reshaping the modern resources sector. Laura Tyler FAusIMM thinks we may not have seen anything yet.

Delivering a keynote address at AusIMM’s highly successful Underground Operators Conference in Adelaide this April, the Adriatic Metals’ CEO didn’t discount the impact of electrification, connectivity, computational power and other advances on mine safety and productivity in recent decades. However, the rate of technological progress and convergence today meant the next half century was likely to be truly transformative for mining. 

“The coming together of massive computational power, supported by cloud computing, with the abilities of artificial intelligence and advances in robotics puts us in a new paradigm,” Tyler said at Underground Operators, which set a new attendance benchmark for the long-running conference series. 

“We stand in front of the next portal of societal development and discovery. 

“There are two key areas of change supported by this digital or computational power,” she said. 

“Automation and robotics will change the way we work. And scientific revolutions will change the way we extract minerals from the earth.  

“The first modifies what we do today [and] builds on what has gone before. The second has the potential to change how we extract resources tomorrow.” 

Tyler believes more than 90% of today’s operating mines are investing in AI and autonomous fleets and the number of digital offerings to optimise operational efficiencies, provide digital frameworks and ensure proactive maintenance and reliability is growing apace. 

“The next step into quantum computing, although in its early stages, is poised to revolutionise many aspects of work across industries."

“It will solve problems that are currently beyond the reach of classical computers and will have profound implications for how we work, think and collaborate. It will accelerate problem-solving in complex fields such as materials science to improve energy production, orebody and rock mass modelling and mineral extraction. It will solve optimisation problems to revolutionise logistics, supply chains and resource allocations, including production schedules re-optimised in real time to reduce cost and waste. 

Tyler said AI and machine learning potential will be expanded as quantum computing speeds up the training of AI models currently used in autonomous vehicles and robotics.

Laura Tyler speaking at AusIMM's 2025 Underground Operators Conference.

Tyler sees the combination of computational power, AI and robotics opening up greater possibilities for mining to mimic manufacturing, where a future in which people are fully removed from hazardous situations and routine tasks is already here.  

‘Lights-out’ or ‘dark’ manufacturing is fully automated production where people manage machine health and leverage AI to optimise operations. 

“Look at car assembly and the dark factories now appearing across the globe,” Tyler said. 

“Over the last decade as we have seen computational power and efficiency grow and storage costs reduce, we have seen AI use that power to access, improve and use our data to improve efficiencies and how we operate.” 

While robots are common in manufacturing, humanoid robotics are being developed to replace people from the most routine or dangerous work. 

“This next step is not far away. It will revolutionise how we work and routinely eliminate people from the most extreme of conditions. For the value to be fully utilised it will require computers to be able to think through complex and ambiguous situations and it will need 5G connectivity. 

“Examples of mines where autonomy or remote operation has almost eliminated people include the Kiruna mine in Sweden [and] Northparkes in Australia, and there are many global examples. 

“We have dark factories now; dark mines are not far away.” 

Tyler said a mine without people would mean less power use, fewer accommodation camps, reduced machine damage and maintenance, and lower environmental impact. 

“It means operators will focus less on physically operating machinery and more on monitoring systems, managing operations and ensuring smooth workflows.” 

“There will be an emphasis on managing the technology that drives these machines rather than manually operating them. 

The use of drones and autonomous vehicles require fewer people to be physically present in dangerous underground environments. Drones are now used to conduct inspections in areas that are unsafe for humans, minimising exposure to hazardous conditions. With robotics this will extend to other workplaces. This shift will allow operators and supervisors to focus more on overseeing operations remotely and solving problems. 

“This means we have to be data-savvy, able to interpret and act on data from sensors and AI tools. 

“Data scientists, machine learning engineers and AI specialists will play critical roles in ensuring that the mine’s digital systems are optimised and responsive to the needs of the operation. We will collaborate with AI systems to make quick, informed decisions that maximise productivity while minimising risks. 

“We will interact with smart environments where real-time feedback is provided to improve safety, efficiency, and comfort. Wearable devices that monitor our vital signs will be connected to the IoT system, allowing supervisors to monitor the health and well-being of their teams. The system will alert us of any potential health risks, such as excessive heat exposure, fatigue or potential equipment malfunctions. 

Tyler said this is all in flow, underway and will be with us before we know it. Plus, different threads of science and engineering would change future commodity extraction – primary and secondary – were intersecting and moving down commercialisation paths. 

“Often these ideas are born of need,” she said. 

“How will we recycle all those solar panels or the new complex metallurgy batteries that will need to be replaced. How do we extract the commodities we need without impacting on local communities? How do we understand the Earth at depth? How do we eliminate tailings? 

“The areas I personally am interested to see advance continue to be in tech that will allow us to understand the Earth at depth. The muon technology from teams such as Ideon continue to impress me with their results and possible uses; the integration of passive seismics from the oil and gas industry into exploration has delivered amazing results as demonstrated by the BHP team at Olympic Dam. 

“How will we recycle and reduce waste – not only in our current and future processes and ways of working, but also in full lifecycle ownership? 

“The possibilities are endless and we stand at the threshold of a new era in mining, one that will redefine what’s possible and create a brighter, more sustainable future for everyone.” 

Tyler said bold and possibly new leadership was critical to making the industry future she described a reality. 

To foster real innovation company boards and executives must champion it at every level of the organisation, requiring a combination of strategy, leadership, culture and resources. 

“By encouraging risk-taking, embracing new technologies, investing in R&D, promoting collaboration and fostering an agile mindset, companies can build an environment where innovation thrives. 

“But for innovation to make real change we have to work together to sponsor ideas into reality, bridging the gap between idea and profitable delivery.”