Technological innovations, particularly in the data and machine learning space, are pivotal in addressing the increasing global demand for critical minerals, highlights geoscience software company Seequent mining segment director Janina Elliott.

AI-driven tools enable faster and more accurate geological modelling and exploration-related activities, providing deeper insights into complex geology and improving orebody knowledge, she notes.

“Robotics is aiding in automating tasks that are dangerous or inefficient for human workers to support safer and more efficient operations. Together, these innovations also reduce environmental impacts by improving resource management and minimising waste,” adds Elliott.

As such, she says effective data management is key to increasing efficiency and performance in mining operations, unlocking sizable potential across the mining lifecycle, from exploration to resource extraction.

“To maximise effectiveness, mining companies must implement sound data management practices to manage the numerous sources of information they deal with on a daily basis,” Elliott says.

Product Innovation, Strategy

Seequent’s technological products leverage two decades of experience and subsurface expertise across multiple geoscience disciplines in the mining, energy, environmental and civil sectors.

The company’s solutions are designed to empower geoscientists and engineers and to drive more sustainable, efficient mining operations.

Seequent is increasingly introducing more machine learning across their product suite, recently evidenced by the company integrating machine learning into their drill hole image capture system – Imago – to automate repetitive tasks and empower geoscientists to apply their expertise more efficiently to gain deeper insights into geological data.

She also explains that the company is committed to continuously investing in its product portfolio to add new specialisms and value aimed at enhancing core capabilities, incorporating new technologies and expanding their product range.

In addition, Seequent has a robust product plan that focuses on innovating with customer engagement in mind and also actively engages with customers through initiatives such as limited availability programmes, where the company works closely with industry leaders to pilot new solutions and receive feedback that drives future product development.

Meanwhile, Elliott also highlights that the company is committed to supporting the mining industry’s digital transformation efforts and that beyond their core technology solutions, Seequent has a strong focus on fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the geoscience community.

“One initiative that we are particularly proud of is our academic programme with more than 500 academic institutions globally, bridging the gap between education and industry. This programme provides students and academic institutions with access to Seequent’s cutting-edge software, enabling them to learn with the same tools used by professionals in the field,” she notes.

Seequent has also created a freely available program called Visible Geology, that makes geological data more accessible and understandable to students at universities and schools through enhanced 3D visualisation of subsurface environments.