Although most South African mines have access to increasingly sophisticated automation and digital technologies, some operations still face challenges when it comes to connecting existing systems and investments into a longer-term transformation strategy.
Charl Marais, Local Division Manager for ABB South Africa’s Process Automation Process Industries division, says some mines remain caught between isolated automation systems because they lack a clear roadmap for how the operation should evolve.
“The biggest barrier is the lack of a clear, long-term roadmap for how the mine wants to transform. Technology is increasingly available, but without a clear direction, investments can remain focused on solving individual operational problems.
“The opportunity now is to move from optimizing individual processes to understanding the mine as an integrated operation.”