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Automation in Mining: Impacts, Challenges, and the Role of NLP

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This article presents a systematic review of the impacts of automation in the mining industry, utilizing natural language processing techniques to analyze 94 relevant documents. It highlights key challenges such as interoperability and wireless network inadequacies, while addressing human factors like workload and communication. The review emphasizes the need for a holistic understanding of automation's effects on individuals, organizations, and communities to ensure successful implementation.
  • main points
  • unique insights
  • practical applications
  • key topics
  • key insights
  • learning outcomes

  • • main points

    • 1
      Comprehensive systematic review of automation impacts in mining
    • 2
      Utilization of natural language processing for thematic analysis
    • 3
      Focus on human, organizational, and community perspectives

  • • unique insights

    • 1
      Identification of key challenges such as interoperability in automation
    • 2
      Emphasis on the importance of human factors in automation success

  • • practical applications

    • The article provides valuable insights for stakeholders in the mining industry, guiding them in addressing automation challenges and enhancing safety and productivity.

  • • key topics

    • 1
      Automation in mining
    • 2
      Human factors in automation
    • 3
      Natural language processing applications

  • • key insights

    • 1
      Holistic view of automation impacts beyond technology
    • 2
      Novel application of NLP techniques in mining literature analysis
    • 3
      Focus on community and organizational implications of automation

  • • learning outcomes

    • 1
      Understand the multifaceted impacts of automation in mining
    • 2
      Recognize the importance of human factors in automation implementation
    • 3
      Apply insights from the review to enhance safety and productivity in mining operations
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“ Introduction: The Rise of Automation in Mining

The mining industry is undergoing a significant transformation with the increasing adoption of automation. This shift is driven by the need to improve safety, enhance performance, and ensure sustainable development in the face of rising demand and competitive pressures. Automation promises to revolutionize traditional mining operations, but its implementation requires careful consideration of various factors.

“ The Imperative of Automation: Safety, Performance, and Sustainability

Automation offers numerous benefits to the mining sector. It reduces operators' exposure to injury risks, improves safety performance by removing workers from hazardous environments, and enhances productivity through increased efficiency. Furthermore, ongoing automation and digitalization are crucial for sustainable mine development, enabling better environmental performance and energy efficiency.

“ Methodology: A Systematic Review Approach

This study employs a systematic review methodology, guided by the PRISMA framework, to analyze the impacts of automation in mining. The review encompasses a comprehensive search of academic databases and grey literature, focusing on human, organizational, and community perspectives. Both manual thematic analysis and natural language processing (NLP) techniques are utilized to extract meaningful insights from the collected data.

“ Key Challenges in Mining Automation: Interoperability and Wireless Networks

The review identifies several key challenges that the mining industry must address for successful automation implementation. Interoperability issues and inadequate wireless networks are highlighted as significant obstacles. Ensuring seamless communication and data exchange between different automated systems is crucial for optimizing performance and safety.

“ Impacts on Individuals: Workload, Communication, and Trust

Automation significantly impacts individuals working in the mining industry. Key themes include workload, cognitive load, communication, acceptance of automation, and trust. While automation can reduce physical workload, it may also increase mental workload and alter communication patterns. Building trust in automated systems is essential for ensuring effective human-machine collaboration.

“ Organizational Impacts: Task Changes and Workplace Culture

At the organizational level, automation affects work processes, information flow, employee training, and relationships in the workplace. Task changes and workplace culture are the most predominant issues. Automation can undermine collaboration between operators if not implemented carefully. It is crucial to design automation systems that support teamwork and maintain a positive work environment.

“ Community Impacts: Employment and Indigenous Communities

Automation extends beyond the mine site and impacts communities, particularly in terms of employment and interaction with indigenous communities. Automation can change the value proposition that mining presents for local communities. It is essential to consider these social aspects for the automation process to succeed and ensure that companies meet their corporate social responsibility commitments.

“ The Role of Natural Language Processing (NLP) in Mining Research

The study utilizes natural language processing (NLP) techniques to analyze the vast amount of literature on mining automation. NLP enables the extraction of meaningful patterns and insights from textual data, providing a structured exploration of the dataset. This approach helps to identify emerging trends and challenges in the field of mining automation.

“ Discussion: Human Factors and Corporate Social Responsibility

The findings emphasize the importance of human factors in the successful implementation of mining automation. Situation awareness and workload have far-reaching consequences for safety and productivity. Moreover, quantifying community impacts is crucial for companies to meet their corporate social responsibility commitments and ensure sustainable development of the regions in which they operate.

“ Conclusion: Towards Sustainable and Responsible Automation

Automation holds immense potential for transforming the mining industry, but its implementation must be approached responsibly and sustainably. By carefully considering human factors, addressing interoperability challenges, and engaging with communities, the mining industry can harness the benefits of automation while mitigating potential risks. Future research should focus on developing strategies for ensuring a smooth transition to automated mining operations and maximizing the positive impacts on all stakeholders.

 Original link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/25726668241270486

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