2023 AGENDA

DAY 1 : NOVEMBER 21

Tuesday, November 21, 2023
8:00 AM - 8:50 AM
 
 
8:50 AM - 8:55 AM
 
Symon Rubens
8:55 AM - 9:00 AM
 
 
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
 
Emma Jones
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM

•    Exploring the advancements made in Western Australia’s mining sector
•    Looking at technologies and innovations developed within the state
•    Understanding how digital technology is shaping the energy transition domestically and globally
 

Hon. Bill Johnston MLA
9:40 AM - 10:20 AM

•    Discussing how the industry can improve the deployment, adoption, and implementation of mining technologies 
•    Exploring how we can make technology and innovation sustainable in the long-term 
•    Assessing the Journey to Success 
•    Looking at practical examples and best practices 
 

Emma Jones Katie Collins Mark O’Brien Erin Bell Adam Radics
10:20 AM - 10:50 AM

•    Unveiling the Equinix Mining Technology Report      
•    Business outlook and innovation trends
•    Technology investment and priorities
•    Safety, sustainability, and social trust

Guy Danskine Professor Eric May
10:50 AM - 11:20 AM
 
 

AI & Data Track

Tuesday, November 21, 2023
11:20 AM - 11:25 AM
 
Emma Jones
11:25 AM - 11:55 AM

•    Implementing Artificial Intelligence into AngloAmerican’s mining practices through the FutureSmart Mining™ approach
•    Understanding how this is revolutionising mining operations 
•    Exploring how to face increasingly technical complexities, including strata and gas-related environmental challenges, which demand enhanced safety, sustainability, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making
•    Capitalising on the talented workforce, cutting-edge automation technologies, strong data analytics culture and tools, coupled with comprehensive risk mitigation processes
•    Pioneering advanced longwall mining practices, paving the way for a safer, efficient, and sustainable future, enabled by a dedicated and high-performing central team specialising in data analytics, automation, and remote autonomous frameworks
•    Case Studies and Examples 

Moe Amanzadeh
11:55 AM - 12:40 PM

•    Assessing how advanced analytics can improve the efficiency of the value-chain   and the importance of AI for the mining and resources industry
•    Exploring deployment and implementation challenges and how to overcome them
•    Understanding why we should be sharing more data and not less  
•    Exploring cost-effective and sustainable solutions   
•    Looking at real-life case studies
•    Deploying AL & ML datasets from archived core – how can we do more with less

 

Emma Jones Brigette Hendersonhall James Shreeve Brendan Tritton
12:40 PM - 1:50 PM
 
 
1:50 PM - 2:20 PM

We are now witnessing a tremendous surge in AI technology, particularly in language models such as ChatGPT. As AI-powered copilot systems increasingly enter our lives in software development and as chatbots, an even larger revolution is on its way:  
•    Discovering AI-powered control of dynamic systems - changing the way we control complex production processes 
•    Exploring the next-generation process control system, utilising physics-informed models, generative transformers, and other cutting-edge AI methods developed over the past few years 
•    Understanding how this enables faster deployment, cheaper maintenance, greater robustness, and maximum productivity 
•    Best practices and lessons learned from the AI process control system that is already deployed within more than ten factories and is helping our clients to generate $120 mn in profits annually 

Artem Penkin
2:20 PM - 2:50 PM

•    Delivering a new data, AI and Analytics roadmap and strategy for international gold mining, including securing investment. 
•    Strategic pillars including enterprise data architecture, culture and AI.
•    Roadmap
•    Building a high-performing team

Charlotte Crabtree
2:50 PM - 3:10 PM

•    Understanding how digitalisation disrupts and shapes the future of the mining sector 
•    Learn about the possibilities of IoT technologies and their implications in the mining  industry
•    Explore how digitalisation can be achieved on complex mining and underground sites through the use of a basic prerequisite – lights.

Andrew Orkin
3:10 PM - 3:40 PM
 
 
3:40 PM - 4:10 PM

•    The value of a LLM for learning and bringing new employees up to speed
•    Use of AI Bots for repeatable tasks such as end of month reporting 
•    Use of LLM in looking for patterns in data
•    Using LLM’s and Bots in bridging the gap between the mine and the      plant 
•    The use of AI tools in fleet management

Paul Lucey
4:10 PM - 4:50 PM

•    Overview of use of computer vision systems for flotation froth image analysis in the mining industry
•    Impact of deep learning on froth image analysis 
•    The emerging use of video cameras as real-time froth grade sensors
•    Integration into decision support systems and advanced control systems

Chris Aldrich

Robotics & Automation/ESG Tech Track 

Tuesday, November 21, 2023
11:20 AM - 11:30 AM
 
Erin Bell
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

•    Analysing the current challenges in investment, piloting, and vendor relations
•    Supporting autonomous systems, robotics through and digital twins
•    Bringing a geospatial renaissance when it comes to mining exploration, operations, and safety

Erin Bell Ash Richter Matt Pomery
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM

•    Looking at the current regulatory landscape and where things are heading
•    Impacts along the value chain
•    Discussing how the mining and metal industry can work together to achieve the ambitious net-zero targets
•    Understanding the technology behind
•    Technology deployment challenges 
•    Cope 3 emissions

Catherine Bell Mohsen Yahyaei Muchtazar Marc Allen
12:40 PM - 1:50 PM
 
 
1:50 PM - 2:20 PM

A better ability to leverage analytics, AI, and ML to improve automated operations and remote equipment will sustain your mining business and uplift your competitive edge, transparency of your operations, governance capabilities, and timely delivery of your products to customers. 
•    Discovering next-gen technology, like the event mesh, that can help achieve the above benefits and enables real-time digital supply chains from pit to port
•    Understanding why and how to leverage the event mesh for a simplified architecture helps to reduce the unit cost of production 
•    Securing IT/OT integration to optimise value-chain and provide real-time operation data exchange
•    Looking at real-life case studies
 

Derrick Hodges
2:20 PM - 2:50 PM

•    Debating the importance of trust in automation and solving the lack of it to promote ESG initiatives
•    Understanding how it can improve accuracy
•    Exploring how ESG auditing can be improved
•    Looking at practical examples

Mohsen Yahyaei
2:50 PM - 3:10 PM

•    Identifying the most effective tactics to reduce your energy cost in underground mining 
•    Accelerating energy savings with innovative solutions
•    Enhancing safety for workers through advanced technological features
•    Looking into the cutting-edge tools in development to improve energy savings and safety in underground mining
•    Showcasing case studies of successful implementation

Jose Hernandez
3:10 PM - 3:40 PM
 
 
3:40 PM - 4:20 PM

•    Possible roles of digital twins in the journey to autonomy 
•    How to design Digital Twin using right to left thinking, having a view on the needs of operations and work backwards
•    How to architect for the future digital twin
•    Design new or buy off the shelf
•    Designing with the user in mind (persona driven design)
•    Technology vs design pattern –  encompassing the entire lifecycle of problem 

Brigette Hendersonhall Rob Foster Matt Curnow Theresa Khorshid
4:20 PM - 4:50 PM

•    Software-defined architectures are the most cost-effective way to add real-time decision-making and monitoring to the unpredictable and often challenging business of large-scale mining operations.
•    Controlling large mining equipment through fast, secure and reliable communications creates operational efficiency and is the gateway to autonomous mining. 
•    Mining companies urgently need to effectively transition into the new era of communication and autonomy through core capabilities such as monitoring performance, improving human-machine interactions, optimising operational efficiency, minimising total costs, ensuring security, and maximising throughput.
 

Kelvin Hor
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
4:50 PM - 5:00 PM
 
 
5:00 PM - 6:10 PM
 
Mark Wilson

DAY 2 : NOVEMBER 22

Wednesday, November 22, 2023
8:00 AM - 8:50 AM
 
 
8:50 AM - 8:55 AM
 
Symon Rubens
8:55 AM - 9:00 AM
 
Dr. Jacqui Coombes
9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

•    Discussing the importance of strategic partnerships for the industry  
•    Assessing common challenges and how the industry can collaborate to tackle them
•    Debating in which areas the sector can collaborate  
•    Exploring the critical success factors in successful industry collaborations 

Dr. Jacqui Coombes Rob Johnston Alex Jenkins Holly Bridgwater Andrew Bell
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM

•    Current processes in mining
•    Problem statement – edge cases
•    Applicability of collision warning and collision avoidance
•    Types of technologies  
•    What future looks like

Chirag Sathe
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM

•    Exploring RoyBot, Roy Hill’s generative AI chatbot that is currently in production at Roy Hill.
•    Understanding the underlying technology and high-level architecture
•    Lessons learned from its development process and roll-out in Roy Hill
•    Insights into how RoyBot is currently being used in the organisation 
•    Looking at the future roadmap and ideas for further improvement
 

Daniel Cowen
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
 
 

Robotics & Automation Track/AI & Data Track

Wednesday, November 22, 2023
11:15 AM - 11:20 AM
 
Anil Subramanya
11:20 AM - 12:00 PM

•    Understanding the challenges facing the industry and discussing potential solutions  
•    Addressing interoperability challenges and how to solve them 
•    Looking at the newest technologies and other practical solutions  
•    Uniting technology and people - Assessing the human factor in Robotics & Automation

Peta Chirgwin Tamryn Barker Mike Lomman Anil Subramanya
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

•    Understanding the importance and advantage of using robots in harsh environments to reduce personnel risks.
•    Looking at potential tasks that robots can execute in a more efficient and predictive way.
•    Exploring what tools and equipment will be needed to make robots perform mining and its auxiliary tasks in various rock conditions.
 

Michael Berner
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
 
 
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM

•    Finding critical minerals and associated critical metals such as copper, zinc, nickel, and steel, which underpin our decarbonised future, requires a fast and innovative response
•    Accessing vast amounts of data and making geological sense of it all to accelerate discovery is now accepted as a massive lever to success
•    The Geological Survey SA has been and continues investing heavily in providing geological data via digital platforms to support the whole ecosystem, juniors, mid-stream, and majors alike.
•    Current geoscience focussed projects such as South Australian Discovery Mapping, Gawler Phase 2 Project, and Critical Minerals SA Project are all underpinned by a robust digital delivery strategy to provide these pre-competitive data sets to our mineral explorations via the South Australian Resource Information Gateway
•    Current and future projects focus on ingesting all of our existing publicly available data into the cloud 
•    And even more importantly, “filling the gaps,” which will mean systematically digitising remaining core and retrieving data from the industry to provide a complete data set for the state and securing this highly valuable asset in perpetuity
•    Delivering geoscience products to the industry to accelerate discovery

Christie Gerrard
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM

•    Understanding the challenges that mining operations are facing and how to tackle them through AI and other technologies
•    Debating when AI will be mature for adaption, and strategy to succeed.
•    Understanding how AI and cloud solutions can boost the mining value chain.
•    Utilising AI and digital technology to accelerate operational outcomes
•    How to build a pipeline of AI talent for mining organisations

Peta Chirgwin Moe Amanzadeh Will Hanninger
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM

•    Exploring the emergence of Generative AI
•    Looking at industry use cases
•    Understanding the AWS approach and how to get started
 

Ashley Walker
3:00 PM - 3:50 PM
  • Build Versus Buy: Taking a Smarter Approach in Technology Strategy Development - Arun Ramprasad, Sr Manager – Segment Strategy, Equinix 
  • Producing quality data and making the most of it - Mathews Varughis, Paessler AG
  • Interoperability in mining is here, how to start your interoperability journey. - John Kirkman, Enterprise Transformation Partners
  • Operational Technology challenges with cyber security - Cecily Rawlinson, CyberWest Hub
  • Best practices & Use cases: Becoming an event-driven real-time mining enterprise - Derrick Hodges, Solace Corporation

 

Arun Ramprasad Mathews Varughis John Kirkman Cecily Rawlinson Derrick Hodges
3:50 PM - 4:00 PM
 
 

ESG Tech Track

Wednesday, November 22, 2023
11:15 AM - 11:25 AM
 
Silvia Black
11:25 AM - 11:55 AM

•    A snapshot of recent and emerging climate policies, regulations and frameworks
•    Understanding evolving carbon definitions
•    How new online tools are making it easier to understand scope 3 emissions

Dr Vanessa Rauland
11:55 AM - 12:25 PM

•    Exploring ESG best practices 
•    Looking at digital transformation across parts of the operations 
•    Understanding the challenges and debating how to tackle them
•    Discussing next steps and future developments

Muchtazar
12:25 PM - 1:30 PM
 
 
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM

The mining industry has a significant role to play in the fight against climate change. In this panel session, we will delve into how miners right here in WA are leading the charge to decarbonise their operations across Western Australia and beyond.

Alex Bertram Mariel Renteria Marc Allen
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM

•    Digitalisation of ESG data and types of software solutions
•    Navigating the ESG standards and regulations – including the ISSB S2 climate change disclosures standard coming into effect in 2024 and where efficiencies can be achieved alongside existing ESG standards being used (such as GRI). 
•    How to efficiently report sustainability performance without over or under doing it.
•    Managing supply chain risks – and emerging regulatory requirements including around scope 3 GHG disclosures.

Brendan Tapley
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM

•    Overview of how software/tech is currently being used in the ESG space 
•    Why its so critical to long term success (auditing!)
•    Challenges with technology (carbon emissions are complicated)
 

Sarah Melville-Maguire
3:00 PM - 3:40 PM
  • Technology, Diversity & Inclusion - Erin Bell, Managing Director, Co Connect App
  • Innovation Through Diversification: Harnessing Creative Technologies in Mining - Michelle Wong, Innovation and Operations Manager, WA Creative Tech Innovation Hub (Creative Tech Village)
  • Data security when utilising drones and robotics - Mahmood Hussein, CEO - Founder, Global Drone Solutions 
  • Digitalisation of ESG data, navigating ESG standards and regulations and managing supply chain risks and emerging regulatory requirements including around scope 3 GHG disclosures - Brendan Tapley, Managing DirectorDecarbonate
Erin Bell Michelle Wong Mahmood Hussein Brendan Tapley
3:40 PM - 4:00 PM
 
 
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
4:00 PM - 4:05 PM