Planning for a sustainable future

Looking ahead

Mining like all industry sectors will inevitably continue to experience new and often disruptive challenges. A growing skills gap and declining interest in mining careers will push the industry to find new ways to capture and retain knowledge while identifying processes that can be automated. 

Digitalisation must evolve beyond data collection and transformation into automation and orchestration, making full use of every data point to improve efficiency and decision making. 

Integrating orebody knowledge with operational data is key to deriving continuous value. This shift will disrupt workflows, requiring a move from a deterministic to a probabilistic approach. 

The industry continues to build new resources on fixed assumptions, without accounting for the range of possible outcomes. This can lead to missed opportunities and inefficiencies, given that resources are inherently variable and uncertain. 

Maptek meets challenges head-on with software that is integrated and adaptable, ensuring that data and critical insights are available to anyone at any time, anywhere. 

A multi-objective optimisation framework allows trade-offs between competing objectives, revealing ambiguities, ensuring robust planning and decision making in the face of increasing uncertainty and complexity. 

Remaining relevant 

Mines generate vast amounts of valuable data at every stage—exploration, design, operations, processing and rehabilitation—but much of it remains siloed, underutilised, or inaccessible for critical business decisions.

Resource depletion and variability, regulatory pressure, workforce shortages, and the need for greater efficiency add complexity. One of the most pressing issues is data fragmentation across the mining value chain. 

Maptek is uniquely positioned to address this, with a portfolio of integrated solutions spanning the entire mining lifecycle. Unlike point solutions that focus on isolated processes, the Maptek ecosystem connects data sources, providing a unified view of operations. 

Maptek Vestrex is a new platform anchored by three pillars hosting data services, cloud computing and orchestration. Automated data pipelines allow multiple processes to execute in parallel. 

This truly data-driven paradigm maximises the usefulness of data, improves operational efficiency, and promotes confidence in decisions.

Interoperability of data and systems enables customers to move beyond reactive decision making and toward a more predictive approach.

Enhanced collaboration fosters alignment across technical and business objectives. When mine planning, design, scheduling and monitoring data flows seamlessly into operational and financial decision making, miners can expect continuous improvement.

Bridging the gap between technical insights and strategic business decisions breaks down data silos and improves access, empowering mining companies to optimise operations, reduce risk, and create resilient, future-ready businesses. This is a key differentiator.

Emerging technologies

A flexible, data-driven approach better reflects real-world conditions and optimises decision making, according to Maptek CEO, Eduardo Coloma.

‘Maptek has been leveraging AI since 2014, when we introduced evolutionary algorithms in our scheduling solution,’ Coloma said. 

‘Hundreds of scenarios are run simultaneously, enabling the system to learn from each iteration and present a range of high quality solutions. Higher quality mine schedules are delivered in a fraction of the time compared to traditional optimisation methods.’

The time-consuming process of geological domaining was another obvious candidate for AI, where deep learning neural networks rapidly classify and model orebodies. Orebody models that estimate multiple numeric variables and associated uncertainties are available in hours or minutes, a task that previously took weeks using conventional implicit modelling. 

‘Presenting geologists with more alternatives faster, triggering data-driven insights, represents the future of orebody modelling,’ Coloma said.

An exciting project exploring the use of large language models (LLMs) to enhance online help and customer learning experience will provide faster, more intuitive access to product knowledge. This reduces the learning curve, enhances user adoption, and ensures that customers can leverage Maptek technology more effectively.

‘Expanding AI-driven capabilities across the whole mining operation helps our customers unlock new levels of efficiency, accuracy and optimisation, delivering tangible benefits,’ Coloma said.

Investment is key

Maptek remains competitive and innovative by continuously investing in people, technology and strategic partnerships. 

‘We celebrate our growth from a small geological consulting firm in 1981 into a global mining technology leader. Our entrepreneurial spirit remains intact,’ Coloma added. 

A culture of curiosity and continuous learning has led to new product developments that keep Maptek at the forefront of innovation. 

‘We encourage staff to explore new ideas and allocate time to experiment. Embracing the best technologies ensures that we stay ahead.’

‘Investing in infrastructure to leverage cloud computing and artificial intelligence allows us to develop scalable, data-driven solutions that optimise mining operations,’ Coloma concluded.

Maptek ensures products and services remain relevant through strong customer and industry relationships, partnering with companies that share a vision for the mining future. Collaboration with like-minded organisations ensures that mining technology drives progress and shapes a sustainable industry.