1. Supply Chain Automation for Bulk Freight Systems An Iron Ore Perspective

2. Balanced Investment Shareholder value is created when investment in automation efforts is done in four domains: Materials Flow Automation Information Flow Automation Supervision and Control Automation Relationship Automation

3. Automation in Mining Information Flow Automation is well advanced in mining companies due to the fact that large parts of the supply chain is under the control of a single company. Relationship automation is also in an advanced state by use of Enterprise Resource Planning Software like SAP and Oracle Business Suite The Technology for Supervision and Control Automation is sound, however skilled labour shortages is proving to be an industry-wide constraint Materials flow automation is in its infancy, especially for large autonomous vehicles.

4. Materials Flow Automation Areas enjoying intensive research in mine automation is: Autonomous Drill Systems Autonomous Blasting Operations Autonomous Haulage Systems (Trucks) Autonomous Trains

5. Major Challenges Technology is in early development phases – Few mining companies have the appetite to invest in unproven technology Massive skilled labour shortages to develop and maintain highly autonomous operation – Government intervention needed. Some processes like blasting and train loading carry too much residual risk to automate without a significant step change in robustness of available technology Functional silos in large organisation hamper innovation – Better commercial real time information sharing systems needed