Longwall mining operations collect large volumes of data but often lack the bandwidth to systematically drive operational improvements from such data.

“This project undertook to identify if technologies and approaches developed in the financial sector are transferrable and cost effective for mining and if they could add value to mining analysis,” ACARP said.

Two mining scenarios were selected and researched. The positive results achieved for the scenarios indicate that advanced analytical patterns are transferrable from the financial sector to mining.

Many of the operational challenges faced in managing, analysing and visualising data by the mining industry are analogous to those experienced in the financial services industry.