The 4th Industrial Revolution: How Mining Companies Are Using AI, Machine Learning And Robots

In an industry such as mining where improving efficiency and productivity is crucial to profitability, even small improvements in yields, speed and efficiency can make an extraordinary impact. Mining companies basically produce interchangeable commodities. The mining industry employs a modest amount of individuals--just 670,000 Americans are employed in the quarrying, mining and extraction sector--but it indirectly impacts nearly every other industry since it provides the raw materials for virtually every other aspect of the economy. It's already been 10 years since the British/Australian mining company Rio Tinto began to use fully autonomous haul trucks, but they haven't stopped there. Here are just a few ways Rio Tinto and other mining companies are preparing for the 4th industrial revolutions by creating intelligent mining operations.