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Mining automation how far can we really go?

Shovelicious

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2025
Messages
51
Mining automation continues to push boundaries, from self-driving trucks to AI-enhanced drilling. But is it possible for full automation to genuinely take the place of skilled workers underground? I’d love to hear your thoughts, where do we draw the line between efficiency and the value of human expertise?
 
While full automation can take care of repetitive or high-risk tasks, human judgment remains essential underground particularly when it comes to dealing with unexpected situations, making maintenance decisions, and conducting safety assessments.
 
Mining automation continues to push boundaries, from self-driving trucks to AI-enhanced drilling. But is it possible for full automation to genuinely take the place of skilled workers underground? I’d love to hear your thoughts, where do we draw the line between efficiency and the value of human expertise?
it's about safety, not just efficiency. I think it's better to have a robot doing the rock bolting or repetitive mucking. The value of the human worker shifts from operating the drill to managing the fleet and interpreting the data that the AI generates
 
Hey, don't forget about having backup systems and fail-safe plans. Automation really needs a steady flow of data and sensors that you can trust
 
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