AVEVA pushes digital technology to improve African mining

Global industrial software company AVEVA is encouraging African mining companies to embrace digital technology to improve production, cut operating costs and use energy and water more efficiently.

Glenn Kerkhoff, AVEVA’s global industry principal for mining, minerals and metals, said the company was seeing significant interest in digitalisation across Africa, particularly in solutions that address immediate operational challenges.

Speaking to Mining Weekly, Kerkhoff said mining companies needed to connect information across their operations rather than focus on isolated technology projects.

Mining companies face operational challenges

Mining companies are increasingly looking for ways to improve equipment reliability, reduce costs and maximise the value of existing assets. Energy and water management have also become important priorities, particularly at sites where infrastructure limitations affect production.

However, Kerkhoff said many companies struggled to extend the benefits of successful digital projects beyond individual sites or pieces of equipment.

He recommended starting with a specific problem, such as reducing pump failures, improving equipment efficiency or identifying why a processing plant was failing to meet its production targets.

Once a solution delivers measurable improvements, mining companies can extend it to other equipment, processes and locations.

Kerkhoff added that local expertise was essential to developing sustainable digital capabilities that account for Africa’s operating conditions, infrastructure and available skills.

Disconnected systems limit efficiency

Many mining operations generate large amounts of data, but the information is often stored in separate systems used by mining, processing, maintenance and logistics teams.

This makes it difficult for operators to understand how problems in one part of a mine affect the wider operation.

Legacy equipment, unreliable connectivity, cybersecurity requirements and shortages of specialist skills can further complicate digital transformation, particularly at remote mining sites.

Kerkhoff warned that digital projects were less likely to succeed when treated purely as information technology initiatives without sufficient involvement from operational teams.

He advised mining companies to build on their existing systems, involve employees responsible for operational decisions and demonstrate measurable benefits before expanding projects.

He also noted that digital infrastructure did not necessarily have to be centralised or cloud-based. Solutions should reflect each mine’s connectivity, security and operational requirements.

Connected operations could unlock greater value

Kerkhoff said mining companies needed to coordinate mining, processing, maintenance, energy, water and logistics to improve overall business performance.

Optimising individual machines would have limited benefits if other parts of the operation could not handle the additional output.

For example, improving crusher performance would not necessarily increase production if a concentrator or downstream logistics system could not process or transport the extra material.

Connecting operational information would help mining companies identify production bottlenecks, improve mineral recovery and reduce energy consumption.

Kerkhoff added that reliable operational data would also provide the foundation for more advanced analytics, artificial intelligence and autonomous mining operations.

He said the long-term opportunity was to make entire mining operations more intelligent and connected, rather than simply automating individual machines.

Digitalisation can support mineral beneficiation

Kerkhoff said Africa could derive greater economic value from its mineral resources by improving processing efficiency, mineral recovery and product quality, while strengthening connections between mines, processing facilities and transport infrastructure.

This is particularly important as countries consider expanding downstream processing and mineral beneficiation capacity.

However, he cautioned that new processing facilities would only be viable when supported by sound economics and reliable infrastructure, including electricity, water and logistics.

Digital technology could help companies understand how ore characteristics affect processing performance, allowing them to improve blending strategies, recovery rates and energy efficiency.

Combining production data with information on water and energy consumption could also help operators better understand the costs and resources required to produce minerals.

AVEVA supports these activities through engineering, simulation, operational data management, analytics and performance optimisation tools.

AVEVA offers integrated mining solutions

Kerkhoff outlined several AVEVA technologies designed to help mining companies connect operational information and improve decision-making.

The AVEVA PI System collects, stores and contextualises data from equipment and control systems, helping companies monitor performance and track changes over time.

The AVEVA Unified Operations Centre for Mining brings information from multiple operational and business systems into a shared view. This can include production figures, fleet performance, equipment condition, maintenance, material quality, inventory and logistics.

AVEVA CONNECT enables secure data sharing between mining sites, corporate teams, technology partners and analytics applications.

Kerkhoff said these solutions were designed to help companies make better use of information generated by their existing systems, rather than replace their control systems.

He added that mining companies with reliable, well-organised operational data would be better prepared to adopt advanced analytics, AI and increasingly autonomous operations.

South African mine uses shared data to improve pumping

Kerkhoff cited a South African mining operation that worked with pump specialist TAS Online to improve pumping system performance.

The project involved bringing live operational data from multiple sources into a secure environment where specialists could monitor equipment, identify problems and recommend improvements.

AVEVA CONNECT enabled the mining company and TAS Online to work with the same operational information, supporting efforts to improve energy efficiency, equipment reliability and preventive maintenance.

Kerkhoff said the example demonstrated how sharing industrial data with technical specialists could produce practical operational benefits.

He added that companies should measure the results of digital investments against clear operational benchmarks, including production throughput, mineral recovery, equipment availability, energy consumption and water use.