Cloud Computing in Mining - Thematic Intelligence

Cloud Computing in Mining - Thematic Intelligence

Summary
Cloud’s value for mining companies comes directly from using it as a more sophisticated technological option for existing production and management functions and from the new resources, technologies, and services that can be established on an underlying organizational cloud architecture. Both are significant, but the latter is more so. A cloud-integrated mining company can have stronger data resources, digital technologies, personnel pools, internal operational procedures, and cooperation with other parties.

Cloud-enabled mines are better placed for safety, sustainability, and productivity. The risk of both environmental hazards and personnel health issues can be mitigated. Cloud-connected sensors can monitor environmental and health data, and cloud-based personnel coordination tools can look for risks (e.g., structural failures, hazardous gases, dust, or fatigue) and coordinate evacuations, clean-up, or scheduling.

Processes optimized or automated via cloud technology use resources such as energy and water more efficiently. Relocating on-site jobs to remote operations centers means operators can live in cities, expanding the available pool of qualified employees. The better transparency, traceability, and visibility available with cloud enables companies to comply with regulations and validate their performance more easily.

Cloud-based storage solutions are cheaper and of higher quality than on-site equivalents because major cloud providers have more scale, expertise, and experience. In addition, digital tools like artificial intelligence (AI), predictive maintenance, and many more enhance productivity.

Cloud adoption is fairly mature in the mining industry. However, the possibilities for the technologies that depend on cloud are still expanding, so spending on cloud by mining companies continues to grow fast. Cloud in mining revenues will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.7% between 2021 and 2026.

Key Highlights

• In cost and quality, the superior option for mining companies are public cloud environments provided by major technology players.
• Because of connectivity issues in remote locations, establishing hybrid capabilities upstream in the value chain will be necessary. The flexible, high-grade storage and computing power available as IaaS is valuable across the mining value chain.
• Case studies include Fatigue Science’s impact on safety; Metso Outotec’s use of Rescale for its Rocky DEM simulations, and Newcrest’s use of Microsoft Azure tools to optimize ore flow management.

Scope

• The challenges facing the mining industry, together with thorough discussion of how cloud computing can help mitigate these challenges, as well as identify companies for partnerships.
• Global market size and growth (2019-2022) and forecast (2023-2026) of cloud computing revenues compiled by GlobalData technology and mining analysts.
• Key mergers and acquisitions (M&As) associated with the Cloud Computing theme in the mining sector over the last five years including date, deal value, and a brief description of the target company as compiled from GlobalData’s Deals database.
• Profiles of cloud computing vendors including specialists in the mining industry with details of their services.
• Profiles of leading adopters of cloud computing in mining including who they have partnered with for their cloud initiatives.
• Case studies of cloud computing implementation in the mining sector and how cloud computing has been used to increase productivity, reduce costs, improve safety, and progress towards sustainability objectives on the mine site.
• Unique thematic scorecard showing 50 global mining companies that predicts the success of mining companies in the next 2-5 years. Companies are scored in 10 themes that will disrupt the mining sector, informed by GlobalData’s comprehensive tracking of cloud computing-related deals, job openings, patents ownership, company news, financial and marketing statements.

Reasons to Buy

• Determine and prioritise which cloud technologies to invest in at each step of the mining value chain.
• Discover case studies where cloud computing has been used to overcome challenges faced by companies
• Quickly identify leading specialist cloud computing vendors in mining and shortlist potential partners based on their areas of expertise and historic partnerships
• As a technology vendor, identify the areas where the industry is most in need of your services and uncover the areas that are lacking specific cloud computing vendors that might prove profitable areas for expansion. Quantify the global sales opportunity for cloud computing for the mining industry by accessing GlobalData's market size and forecasts (2019-2024), produced by our mining and technology analysts.
• Formulate marketing messages that resonate with buyers in the mining sector by identifying the key challenges that the sector faces and understanding how cloud computing is impacting the sector