Mining Industry 4.0 – Opportunities and Barriers

Abstract

Safety, development, and efficiency are the main slogans that guide modern mines. At the beginning of the fourth industrial revolution, they are familiar with innovations and modern technologies that allow them to create innovative solutions and build an environmentally friendly mining sector. The aim of the paper was to assess the feasibility of implementing the assumptions of the industrial revolution 4.0 in the mining industry. Based on the author's own research and literature research, a set of scenarios for the transformation process was developed. After the verification, three alternative scenarios related to the transformation process 4.0 in mines were used for the research. The transformation scenarios were assessed from the perspective of individual stakeholder groups. The NAIADE (Novel Approach to Imprecise Assessment and Decision Environments), which so far has not been used in the mining industry to assess development scenarios, the method was used to assess the transformation scenarios. The research identified and characterized nine groups of stakeholders. Based on the conducted structured interviews, a set of technical criteria for the assessment of scenarios was defined. The analysis results from the impact matrix and social impact matrix developed for the first time for the mining industry transformation scenarios. Based on the analysis of the impacts of individual factors, it was shown which scenario is the most acceptable for stakeholders and the best from a technical point of view. The research focuses on the deficit of digital competencies and the generational change, as well as the change in the competency requirements of the new type of worker-miner-operator 4.0.