The development of IT sector has an enormous impact on the mining industry. Not only does it affect efficiency and productivity, but it also influences the safety of workers, and we all know how dangerous working in a mine can be. This is forcing mining companies to embrace new technologies and it also allows startup companies to get familiarized with how mining exactly works.
The first benefit of IT in this trade is that through mobile access, managers are always in contact with their employees. Before, this was not possible. Nowadays, by using mobile technology, managers and workers can easily share information and notify each other about any changes. For instance, if some problem occurs deep in the mine, supervisors will be alerted immediately and they will be able to decide on the best course of action, taking into consideration both productivity and the safety of the miners. Also, these mobile devices can be used as a mean to warn workers of a dangerous zone they are entering.
Furthermore, the mining industry depends on data and information, and this is where modern IT technologies come in handy. All the decisions that are made are based on some sort of information such as where the mining veins are located. They can find the right area, predict the amount of ore and also plan on the entire operation e.g. what kind of equipment will be necessary and how many people will be involved in the whole process.
Also, miners use smart devices to stay informed about temperature in a certain area, water pressure, gas concertation and so on. Sometimes humans will not even be necessary if the company opts for using modern equipment. Besides removing workers that are not required thus ensuring their safety; this equipment can be used to predict and most importantly prevent any kind of possible troubles such as dams breaking that can not only endanger employees of a certain company but also other people who live nearby.
Also, as you know the mining industry uses a large amount of electricity, usually more than they actually need. By using modern devices which will inform them about the amount of power they need, companies will save a lot of money without decreasing its efficiency.
Another benefit of modern technology is that employees can quickly access all the information they need at that moment or update them for others.
Mining companies are also very concerned about their data. Like any other company, they want to ensure that their information stays confidential and that they cannot be obtained by hackers or intruders. That is when they turn to professional such as Xyber Solutions. Companies that offer managed IT services can not only improve the productivity of some mining company, but they can also guarantee that all company’s data is safely stored and beyond anyone’s reach.
To conclude, these are only some of the benefits that modern technology provides the mining industry with. We believe that in the future, mining companies will only rely more and more on IT services not only to improve their business but also to minimize the negative effect on the neighboring ecosystems.
Nina Smith 
Nicola Holder