Future of Mining Technological, social and regulatory change are all have major implications for the world’s mining sector. Ahead of a speech next month in China, this an overview of ten key global future trends that may well have significant impact. Drawn from projects on the future of data, work, land use and automation, this presents ten of the shifts underway and illustrates some of the associated areas of change. If you have any comments or additions, do let us know and we can include in an updated view coming out later in the year.

1. Ten Future Global Trends Impacting The Mining Industry
Insights from Multiple Expert Discussions Around the World
12 Nov 2019

2. FUTURE SHIFTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

3. UNCERTAINTY AND EXTERNAL CHANGE

4. TEN MACRO TRENDS IMPACTING MINING
A NEW
SOCIAL
CONTRACT
AUTONOMOUS
OPERATIONS
FASTER
DECARBONISATION
DEEP
LEARNING AI
THE VALUE OF
DATA
THE FUTURE
WORKFORCE
CREDIBLE
ALTERNATIVES
ENHANCED
PERFORMANCE
ENDING DOLLAR
DOMINATION
CITIES NOT
COUNTRIES

5. A NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT

6. Rethinking Operations
Many traditional mining methods and environmental footprints are no longer
acceptable to society: The push for lasting, significant change accelerates.

7. Impactful Activism
More community, NGO and government-led activism delay major projects.
For some the social license to operate is under mounting pressure.

8. Trustworthy Organizations
Most important to the next generation of employees is that companies
are trustworthy and transparent about their business practices.

9. FASTER DECARBONISATION

10. The Impact of Climate Change
With 2oC of global warming probable and 4oC possible, impacts grow: Poor air
quality, widespread flooding and the migration of tropical diseases all increase.

11. Eco-Civilization
China takes the lead on tackling climate change, reducing urban air pollution
and setting new standards. The Eco-Civilization initiative is a game-changer.

12. Obligatory Carbon Capture
Organizations commit to net-zero targets across their business operations.
Carbon capture and removal bridges the gap to fully renewable clean systems.

13. AUTONOMOUS OPERATIONS

14. Controlled Environments
Controlled environments pioneered some key steps for autonomous vehicles.
Airports, port terminals, factories and mines are all major future focus areas.

15. Data Sharing
More and deeper data sharing are pivotal in enabling the wider autonomous
ambition. Many organizations increasingly support a range of open data sets.

16. Outsourced Mobility
Autonomous trucks operate independently with manufacturers increasingly
taking on operational accountability in return for ‘fee-per-tonne’ models.

17. THE FUTURE WORKFORCE

18. Smaller ‘Big’ Companies
The employment pool expands with ‘on and off-balance sheet talent’. The top
companies are worth twice as much as today but only have half the employees.

19. Projects Not Jobs
Companies shift from being employers to become the bodies that create and
coordinate projects that an increasingly freelance population delivers.

20. Reinventing Roles
New technology has a fundamental impact on many roles that are currently
part of our social fabric. Building knowledge and skills changes significantly.

21. DEEP LEARNING AI

22. Pattern Recognition
Much initial AI is focused on machine leaning and pattern recognition.
Automation mimics human capabilities in identifying divergence from norm.

23. AI and Unstructured Data
As deep, self and reinforced learning develop, the ability to deal with
unstructured data delivers transformations in analysis and decision making.

24. Self Learning Control Systems
Machines outperform human operators, delivering significant improvements
in efficiencies. Companies gain sustained environmental and cost savings.

25. THE VALUE OF DATA

26. Data Marketplaces
Data itself becomes a commodity with a value and a price. It therefore
requires marketplaces where it is bought, sold, rented and shared.

27. Ownership of Machine Data
In the absence of an agreed approach, debates on who has what rights to which
data build. Questions on title, control and usage lead to multiple different views.

28. Data as an Asset
Organisations are obliged to account for what data they own or access.
They are required to report their full data portfolio - and are taxed on this.

29. Data Liability
Data is a liability. For some the costs and risks of securing data outweighs its
benefits. For others it creates opportunity for new business models and policies.

30. CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVES

31. Rare-Earth Elements
Reducing dependency on Chinese supply provokes alternative sourcing, wider
user innovation and the development of new alloys for pivotal applications.

32. Commodity Substitutes
The demand for non-recycled virgin plastics falls. Ceramics, fibers, composites
and new nanotech materials enter more iron, copper and aluminum use-cases.

33. Mission-Driven Disrupters
More well-funded, visionary, nimble start-ups challenge conventional thinking -
achieving major milestones faster and with less resources than incumbents.

34. ENDING DOLLAR DOMINATION

35. Decoupling from the Dollar
60% of global output is linked to the dollar, with advantages for the US but not
everyone else: Nations unpeg themselves from the USD and seek other options.

36. An Asian ECU
ASEAN Central Banks collaborate to create a basket of Asian currencies for
international trade – emulating the European Currency Unit but not the Euro.

37. Global Currency Platforms
Alternative currencies gain traction and several global digital platforms operate
without national borders - and so outside the influence of the central banks.

38. ENHANCED PERFORMANCE

39. Resetting Expectations
Shared purpose, positive community relationships and sustainable economic
growth priorities are driving more meaningful partnerships and benefit share.

40. Improving Productivity
An aim to ‘do more with less’ drives many to seek a jump in productivity. Energy
use is a common focus. Value creation from R&D comes under greater scrutiny.

41. Deeper Collaboration
Partnerships become more dynamic, democratised, multi-party collaborations.
Competitor alliances and wider public participation create new frameworks.

42. CITIES NOT COUNTRIES

43. Declining Central Government Influence
Support for, and trust in, governments falls with many regulators unable to keep
pace with change. Networks ,NGOs and Cities set more of the future standards.

44. Powerful Mayors
Mayors lead bold initiatives to place their cities at the forefront of the
global stage. The C40 becomes more influential than the G20.

45. City to City Competition
With 70% of the world’s population living in urban areas, growing leadership
ambitions drives greater city to city competition for talent and investment.

46. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE INDUSTRY

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