A virtual and robotic revolution sweeping Australia’s mining industry could spell the end of fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers within decades, according to one of the country’s leading geologists and immersive technology experts.
Virtual and augmented reality, combined with increasing automation, are transforming the sector, says Professor Tom Raimondo, Dean of Programs for Information Technology and Mathematics at the University of South Australia.
These technologies allow more mining work to be done remotely, saving time and money while removing many risks and travel requirements for workers.
Professor Raimondo is leading the development of VR and AR platforms through the MinEx Cooperative Research Centre, the world’s largest mineral exploration collaboration.
Projects include the RoXplorer digital twin, an ultra-realistic simulation of a future drill site, and the Exploration Metaverse, a suite of immersive AR and VR tools for collaboratively viewing and analysing complex mining data with experts worldwide in real-time.
“Globally, it’s becoming more difficult and expensive to discover new mineral deposits because they are deeper than they have ever been,” Raimondo explained.
“VR and AR give us a better way to visualise and interpret highly complex data and spatial information and make good decisions about where we should be targeting our exploration efforts.”
The RoXplorer digital twin replicates a drill site, enabling workers to run repeated drilling simulations safely, efficiently and with zero environmental impact.
“In terms of training workers, it also removes the hazards. Mining is inherently a dangerous activity, so the more we can transition to autonomous systems, the better off the mining industry will be,” said Raimondo.
His team is also exploring digital twins for other hazardous industries like forestry, construction and fire management services.
Raimondo envisions a future of “Zero Entry Mining,” where all operations occur remotely, and miners interact with digital twins and autonomous robots rather than rock cuts and blast sites.
“This technology is improving all the time,” he noted.
Raimondo continued, stating that 10 years ago, the industry relied on desktop computers or pen and paper, interpreting data slowly and out of context, however, now they integrate VR headsets, mobile devices and AR goggles, analysing data rapidly and doing it in situ, informing decisions every step.
The 360-degree immersive environments allow more accurate, intuitive interpretation while freeing hands and engaging the brain differently than desktop displays.
“It’s a very exciting future,” Raimondo said.