MINExpo 2024 in Las Vegas runs every 4 years and it stands to reason that companies—big and small—are going to throw everything they have to make this a memorable event. It’s hard to argue that when staring at machines that are several stories high, cost millions of dollars and likely required a small caravan of trucks and trains along with many people to construct and deconstruct these behemoths.
As a spectacle, it’s definitely memorable and puts a hard stamp on the event. The key themes, however, had less to do with the machinery and more about the technologies and philosophies behind them. Companies are trying to do more with less as the workforce shrinks while keeping up with demand expectations from an economy that needs more of everything.
Courtesy: Chris Vavra
They’re also trying to be more sustainable—not just from an environmental standpoint, though that is crucial—but from an equipment standpoint. How can companies make these large machines last longer without incurring downtime while being more energy efficient?
In the mining industry, these challenges are especially acute because turnover and profit margins are already a problem. Maximizing their value and getting the most out of what they have while looking long-term is a precarious challenge.
Over the three days of MINExpo, though, many companies were out to solve these challenges in innovative ways. See recaps of days 1-3 for more insights on how these companies are improving automation and sustainability.
Courtesy: Chris Vavra
The general thematic concept of using automation and digitalization to improve technology and best practices is there regardless of industry. It sounds like many companies have the right approach to the future. Getting to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 is a long way off, to be sure, but the journey is a long one and the work done over the next several years are going to be very exciting indeed.
