GMG Kiruna Forum | Tomorrow’s Mining: Innovating to Improve the Way We Mine

Presentation
Are We There Yet? Learnings and Challenges With BEVs
Atif Waheed, Mining Engineer (Development), LKAB

EU Regulations and the Importance of Quantifying Upstream Environmental Impacts for Battery End Users 
Rohin Shah, Sustainability Consultant, Minviro Ltd

Panel
Supply Chain Decarbonization
Achieving decarbonization goals will require a circular approach. The suppliers to mining operations, and to mining equipment manufacturers, have a key role to play. From the batteries powering our electric equipment, to green steel and other clean tech, the mining ecosystem must evolve. Hear about what suppliers are doing (internally and also for the industry), the role non-mining suppliers can play, and what is needed to achieve success.

Working Session
Operationalizing Net Zero
The mining sector needs to collaborate, implement, and invest in a portfolio of decarbonization options for scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. The pathways include emissions reduction, switching from fossil fuel to clean fuel, green/clean/renewable/nuclear energy generation, and remove and sequester carbon. As well, the industry has the opportunity to “do it right” with equitable transition in mind and needs to innovate in adopting new mine design and mineral processing technologies, accelerating novel technology adoption, and demonstrating/tracking results.

Participants will pool expertise and experience to develop critical pathways and focus areas for 2024/2025.

Presentations
Autonomous Hauling Implementation in the Aitik Mine
Rikard Maki, Manager, Autonomous Hauling Project Department, Boliden

Safeguarding Mining Productivity: Addressing Cybersecurity Risk in Product Development
Jarkko Holappa, Offering Cybersecurity Lead, Sandvik

Panel
Mining Fleet of the Future
With automation more readily available, the industry advancing towards zero-entry mining, and as battery technologies advance, many companies are seeing the benefits of moving towards more innovative technologies and systems to achieve goals such as carbon reduction, improving the working environment, and mining at greater depths. Like with anything else, there are opportunities but also challenges. How do you integrate a mixed fleet? How do you approach building a charging infrastructure? OEMs are working to enable the safe deployment of autonomous systems and BEVs. Learn from these innovators about what is working, what isn’t working, how to tackle specific aspects on implementation, and more.

Confirmed panellists:

• Anders Hedqvist, Head of Strategic Projects, Epiroc
• Per Hasselberg, Electromobility Special Projects Director, Volvo Trucks

Work Session
Operational Readiness
What does it take for your mine to be ready to implement new technologies? Autonomous systems are complex, requiring those implementing them to integrate many layers of planning before deployment. The transition from diesel is bringing a new era of mine operations, and it requires a matrix of processes and considerations. What is it going to take to quickly bring in the future fleet into the mines? There are many different elements to figure out – mine planning, training, simulations, etc. Participants will define concrete approaches taking into consideration the following elements of operational readiness:

• Technology and infrastructure
• People
• Processes
• Safety and risks

Presentation
Think & Act Differently
Andrew Scott, Lead, Robotics and Automation, Prominent Hill, BHP

Panel
Step Change in Collaboration
How can we make real change in the mining industry? There isn’t a playbook for how to meet the vision of tomorrow’s operations, but the clock is ticking. There will be no lone winners in this race; as an industry we need to collaborate like we never have before. Share successes and failures. Trial technologies and ideas. Pool resources and brain power. So how do we drive a step change in collaboration?

Confirmed panellists:

• Mikael Ramström, Vice President R&D, Digital Solutions Division, Epiroc for NEXGEN SIMS
• Andrew Scott, Lead – Robotics and Automation, Prominent Hill, BHP for consortias in mining

Working Session
Leveraging from Beyond Best Practices
We often tend to focus on best practice in mining. But how can we learn from beyond best practice and from outside our industry? Things don’t always work out, despite our best efforts. In work, as in life, you succeed when you learn from your mistakes and failures. To propel a global industry forward, it is essential that we share misfires and look to other industries that are either further along the journey or that have achieved success altogether. We need to approach a situation differently if we want to achieve a different result. So, where do we start? How do we leverage what’s not working? Where do we begin to learn from outside our industry? Participants will build a plan to define how we can achieve this next-level learning.

Presentation
Pioneering a New Era of Mining Safety
Hans Wahlquist, Global Director Product Management (Mobilarus), Epiroc

Panel
Rethinking Mine Design
As an industry we’re challenged with meetings targets while maintaining safe operations. Innovative technologies from beyond mining are now available to our industry – but we’re limited in what we can do as a lot of underground mine designs are based on technology that has not fundamentally changed in years. There are rules and standards to meet so the idea of mine design needs transformational work to enable optimizing new technologies and enabling such things as ESG-led mine design. No more square pegs in round holes!

Working Session
Driving Change in Operations
The pressure is on. Industry is striving to increase productivity with improved safety and environmental performance. New technologies are emerging and mining companies are committed to progress within the next few years. What will it take to be prepared to embrace new technologies and processes? How do we ensure our mines can maximize the value from potential investments? We need to work together and help build the new paradigm for mine operations. Participants will share what they are working towards and build the plans to address roadblocks on the path to mining differently. The outcomes will help define the collaboration priorities for 2024.

Mix-and-Mingle

Be sure to stay around for a cocktail mixer to keep the conversations going and establish deeper connections that will extend beyond the event.

Date/time: March 13, 2024 at 5:30pm-7:30pm CET
Location: Spill Saluhall & Eatery, Kiruna
Note: Open to all forum participants. No registration required.

LKAB Mine Tour

Take advantage of being in town to tour LKAB’s mine in Kiruna. Driving down to level 1365, participants will tour the mine’s automation and control room, maintenance workshops, and underground trains. Lunch at the mine is included.

Date: March 14, 2024
Time: 9 AM
Note: Limited to 16 participants