Perth’s Resources Technology Showcase 2019: Ingenuity key to next step

An autonomous, beyond line-of-sight drone flight 600m underground in a WA mine has been cited as a shining example of Australia’s resources ingenuity.

Austrade deputy chief executive Tim Beresford used his opening speech today at Resources Technology Showcase 2019 to link the recently released national roadmap on artificial intelligence with Australian mining innovation.

“Emesent specialises in robotics, AI, drone autonomy, mapping, and data analytics and is leading the way in automating the collection and analysis of data in challenging environments,” he said.

“Developed by former researchers from CSIRO’s Data61, Emesent’s world-leading Hovermap technology automates the collection of valuable data in underground areas too dangerous or difficult for people to survey or navigate.”

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Mr Beresford said Australia was the third-most innovative mining country, trailing Germany and Japan.

“As our Chief Scientist Alan Finkel has pointed out, much of the value inherent in innovation is embedded in the way we use technology to produce other goods and services that are not, in themselves, considered technological, such as iron ore,” he said.

“Building AI capabilities in the resources sector is going to be critical to our shared future success.

“Advanced technology is also helping to open up new opportunities for Australia to become a world leader in the production and downstream processing of critical minerals.”

Mr Beresford, whose organisation is a principal partner of RTS2019, said Australian miners were “every bit as advanced as a factory producing the latest generation of silicon chips”.

He said Roy Hill used the internet of things to streamline demand chain planning, inventory tracking, quality management and capacity simulation.

“By interconnecting its systems across pit, port, and rail, the company has used the power of data to greatly improve its supply chain performance,” he said.

Mr Beresford suggested the emerging hydrogen economy was a new frontier for Australia.

“We are already seeing Anglo American’s hydrogen haulage plan and how they intend to operate a haul truck on hydrogen power alone within the next 12 months,” he said.

“The next horizon of change allows us to make significant inroads on resolving some of the long-standing social, economic, environmental challenges of our time.”

Clean Mining is working on new processing technology in gold production that eliminates cyanide as a means of extracting the precious yellow metal.

“Global competition is fierce,” Mr Beresford said.

“Attracting and developing the right talent with ‘skills for the future’ is a critical challenge for all countries.”

• Back to full coverage of all our keynote speakers
• More news from the Resources Technology Showcase 2019
• Everything to see and do at the free RTS2019 exhibition