Page 70 Operators must expect more than just goods and services from their partners and suppliers Executives must seek partners that have mas tered the art of innovation Master ing innovation means more than just bold ideas it is a culture a way being and it includes under standing it is an iterative process resting on a foundation of commit ment and collaboration As a technology specialist for over 30 years and I have participated as both strategist and tactician in the digital wave that washed over many sectors egovernment health services and service deliv ery multiple industries That same wave has already reached the min ing sector There is a major accel eration in applied innovation and technology in mining It comes at the juncture of the need to aggres sively reduce the cost per tonne while maintaining a high degree of safety and a generational shift in sector leadership Reducing the cost per tonne is no new idea Au tomation has been in progress in the mining industry for well over 20 years The automation zone has included scoops and trucks controlled from surface working in conjunction with traditional roles and process As operations reach ever deeper to f nd the ore body costs even with existing automation increase The costs for air water and per sonnel have increased as opera tion have deepened Deeper op erations result in more commute time for equipment and when the equipment is on the move its not making any money Add to this equation ceiling prices in minerals and what the industry faces is both a great opportunity and challenge The opportunity is this if you dramatically reduce the cost per tonne that will translate directly to the bottom line The challenge moving in lock step with this op portunity is changing the culture to SUPPORTING SAFE EXPLORA TION Innovating Drone LiDAR and Imaging T echnology Creating A Safer Site one that embraces doing things dif erently understanding and accepting continuous and rapid change How has the leadership responded A more progressive generation of Executive Leadership has emerged over the past decade leaders who are comfortable with technology and look to exploit it to the benef t of their organizations and shareholders These new leaders have put forward nothing short of a bold vision for the trans formation of operations Many are rapidly developing strategies and plans for the SMAR T mine where automation and digitization form the bedrock of rapid evolution Autonomous equipment not only increases safety it moves per sonnel out of harms way No per sonnel mean lower requirements for air water and light Battery operated vehicles mean no emis sions and less environmental im pact and remediation Combining automation and a digital environ ment strategy will allow for deep er operation at dramatically lower costs while increasing safety and production output Achieving this vision means the industry must embrace rapid change and develop the capac ity to identify validate and employ the latest technology that is in fact what is happening T o those who can anticipate these needs dramatic transformation is just around the corner All that is re quired is the courage to have bold ideas the persistence to apply iterative and the selection of part ners that have mastered the art of innovation