The Future of Work will bring a host of challenges, and the minerals and mining sectors in particular will feel the brunt of it. This future will require industry leaders to be prepared for exploration, safety, environmental and technological challenges, and to adapt to a new state of digital transformation.
Inspired by PDAC’s (Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada) recent discussions, here’s how the Future of Work is going to affect the minerals industry.
The lead-up to the Future of Work
In minerals and mining, the state of work is constantly changing. New innovative technologies are taking over and streamlining how we mine. This is making exploration and mining more efficient; however, it’s also placing pressure on companies to meet this constant rushing demand.
The mining industry will face a convergence of technology, robotics and artificial intelligence. It will become far more important to possess technological and system-based skills, rather than manual or leadership-based ones.
Some technologies, such as Blockhead Technologies’ blockchain-backed STAMP Fuel and STAMP Supply, that will transform the mining sector for the better, and save leaders both time and money.
Of course, we can’t predict every part of the Future of Work. There will be some – called ‘blind disruptors’ – that we won’t see coming, and that we will have to meet and deal with as they come. The disruptors are impossible to prepare for in a literal way; however, they can be anticipated through technological improvement and a capacity to adapt to change.
How can the minerals industry adapt?
We will need to move away from the labour-heavy work to take on problem solving and leadership roles. Machines can – and soon will – execute our data analytics and provide real-time results in exploration.
This means that there will be reduced demand for drill operators, traditional surveyors, traditional truck operators and field geologists, and an increased demand for remote operating workers.
Mining companies will need to upskill their workers to ensure that they aren’t left behind as the mining industry faces digital transformation. Workers will move into more remote roles, supervising and controlling automated software, which will make for a much safer and more secure occupation for many.
The future of work is coming – and we need to prepare our workforces so that the mining sector can continue to transform and grow. You can find out more about how Blockhead is doing so here or contact us for a demo or more information here.