Towards sustainable mixed reality simulation for the mining industry

Abstract

© 2019 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and The AusIMM Published by Taylor & Francis on behalf of the Institute and The AusIMM.

Twenty-first-century mining is a complex pursuit. Stakeholders must manage many interconnected processes and data sets to ensure an operation is sustainable. Mixed Reality (MR) simulation may present an opportunity to improve knowledge and understanding of mine operations via a digital twin. Current and future personnel can model and make predictions using past, current and future data sets. However, MR is still an uncommon tool in the mining industry. This paper asks why that is the case, what some common barriers may be to MR adoption, and presents a possible collaborative solution to make MR sustainable as the technology gains hold and becomes commonplace in mine operations and elsewhere.