TRAINING AND WORKFORCE – PAY ATTENTION: The world of mining is changing

The global mining industry continues to build momentum and prepares itself for what appears to be a remarkable technological transformation. Executives are facing unprecedented pressure to find sustainable and creative methods to drive shareholder value and enhance productivity while improving the safety of the workforce — all during a time of global political instability, low commodity prices, and a generation of new workers that are motivated by non-traditional incentives. This transformation is not only reshaping the landscape of employment and skill requirements for mine workers, but also it is reframing the relationship between the external technology ecosystem and global mining operators. In this era of transformation, the pace of technological change is unprecedented and as I have mentioned before, I believe the side that pays attention and learns the fastest will win. Those unaware or choose not to pay attention to this technological revolution risk the inability to compete and sustain operations in this new world.

As an example of paying attention, I was invited to participate in the 2025 MIT AI Negotiation Competition earlier this year. Recognizing that artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) are transforming the way we work, live, and communicate, this competition was rooted in having teams creatively prompt and counter-prompt ChatGPT in a realistic negotiation scenario. In each round, the bots negotiate with each other, yielding scores for value creation, value claiming, subjective value, and efficiency. This competition, utilizing a platform that was created only two years ago, serves as an example of the unprecedented rate of technological change. If there are any skeptics thinking this is an interesting example, but believe AI has limited applications in mining, I would encourage you to spend the time to check out tech ventures such as MinersAI (minersai.com), RadiXplore (radixplore.com), Elemission (elemission.ca), and Ideon (ideon.ai). If you are not familiar with these ventures, I would argue that you are not paying attention.

In the spirit of paying attention, I want to highlight three emergent themes that are core contributors to “winning” in the mining industry — each taken from a unique perspective: a mining operator, a technology company, and an association/enabling intermediary. Each of these entities have different challenges, and therefore each define winning in different ways.

First, from the perspective of Canadian mining operators, one of the challenges of winning continues to lie in attracting and retaining talent. As outlined by the Mining Industry Human Resources Council of Canada (MiHR), our country will need more than 100,000 new mine workers by 2029. However, it is not simply a workforce numbers problem. Mining operators have enhanced their talent recruitment and retention strategy to engage and train resources that are capable and confident of assessing, procuring, utilizing, and integrating emerging technologies within mining operations. With this, the new world of work is driving the new world of training and development.

At a practical level, what does this look like? How do operators build both competency and confidence in a meaningful way that is cost effective and can accommodate the ever-changing nature of new technologies that are poised to transform the industry? One method is virtual reality (VR). In a 2022 study published by PwC, it was found that utilizing VR as a learning tool, trainees were able to learn four times faster than traditional classroom methods and were 275% more confident to apply skills learned after training. Obviously, there are nuances related to the appropriate application of VR, but the results demonstrate the role that VR can play in the future of education. Furthermore, over the past ten years, NORCAT has heavily invested in developing and deploying both VR and augmented reality (AR)-based learning programs to inform the future of training and development. In a recent multi-year research study conducted in partnership with the Future Skills Centre in Canada, our results closely echoed the aforementioned study. As an example, trainees participating in our VR pre-operational circle check training program indicated improved know-how and confidence in completing the pre-operational check from an average baseline score of 41% to a post-training score of 96%.

Given the labour market requirements, coupled with the pressures to expedite technology adoption, it is critical that mining operators understand the opportunities to incorporate learning technologies to augment existing methods of training and development. In a 2022 study conducted by McKinsey, nearly 50% of mining employees were likely to leave their current job because of the lack of career development. To advance in one’s career — especially in an industry undergoing a technology transformation — on-going learning and development will be critical, and tools such as VR and AR will be key enablers to make this happen both effectively and efficiently. There are now countless studies validating the educational benefits associated with VR and AR that did not exist two years ago. Pay attention. These technologies will help operators win the battle to attract, educate, and advance the career opportunities of their workers.

Next, mining operators historically have invested in in-house R&D teams charged with proprietary IP and product development to build bespoke solutions that would provide a competitive advantage throughout their mining supply chain. However, over the past thirty years, an analysis conducted in partnership with MIT indicated that mining companies’ R&D expenditures declined approximately 45% as a percentage of revenue from 1994 to 2024 on the part of twenty of the leading global mining operators. Mining companies industry-wide have gradually divested themselves from large in-house tech-oriented R&D functions while over the same period emerging technologies in data, automation, electrification, and ore characterization among others, promise to increase mining productivity, safety, and value creation. Simply put, mining operators have evolved from builders of technology to buyers of technology.

With that, one of the foundational trends that is driving technology procurement, adoption, and diffusion in the mining industry is the elevated investment from mining supply, service, and technology companies to educate mine operators on both the fundamentals and intricacies of the emerging technologies they are selling. For example, TesMan, based in Sudbury, Ont., has developed and deployed remote loading and cleaning technology that is defining a new underground mining method. This method not only reduces cycle times and improves productivity, but it also removes the mine worker away from the face. As part of their growth strategy, TesMan has conducted numerous workshops and case studies collectively engaging integrators, operators, workers, and intermediaries to educate and build confidence on the merits of their solution. Similarly, Ideon Technologies, headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., has developed a solution that reduces geologic uncertainty using muon-based technology. A key aspect of their go-to-market strategy is rooted in educating and providing simulations for prospective customers on how muon tomography works and how it compares with conventional methods in the marketplace.

These concepts, simulations, case studies, and workshops are not new, but what is new, is the sophistication and rate of emerging technology development and the elevated importance to ensure the market clearly understands the technology, the value proposition, and the integration/adoption pathway within operations. The well-known metaphor “raising the tide so all boats can rise” is more important than ever in the age of rapid digital transformation, and an increasing amount of this responsibility is falling directly on supply, service, and technology companies. Tech companies like TesMan and Ideon are paying attention and therefore winning the battle for deployment of their technology.

Last, the on-going perception challenges facing the Canadian mining industry have continued to contribute to the declining interest and enrolment in mining related programs among younger generations. In a 2021 study published by MiHR, 70% of young people between the ages of 15 to 30 indicated they would not or probably not be interested in a career in mining. Mining engineering enrolment and graduation rates have been declining in recent years, with a 50% decrease from 2014 to 2022. Of the approximate 90,000 engineering students enrolled in Canada, only 2,200 are enrolled in mining-related fields. Canada is not alone as similar trends exist in other mining jurisdictions including both Australia and the U.S.

However, there is reason for optimism. Initiatives such as the “This is Mine Life” campaign by the Ontario Mining Association are starting to reverse this trend. This program, designed to shift the perceptions of Ontario youth to consider a career in mining, has deployed multiple resources, including in-person workshops, podcasts, on-line content/videos, and social media campaigns, and it has a total reach of over 14 million in the last 18 months. Furthermore, this initiative has been focused on engaging Indigenous Peoples and women — two populations that present significant opportunities to support the future of the Canadian mining industry. The question becomes, what more can be done to engage and inspire these groups to consider a career in the mining industry?

A 2019 U.S.-based study published by Bell et al. in the Journal of Quarterly Economics, highlighted the importance of role models for young people and the influence they have on downstream career selection. The comprehensive study presents evidence on a variety of factors that determine who becomes an inventor by tracking the lives of inventors in the U.S. from birth to adulthood. Controlling multiple variables, the study reveals that exposure to innovation during childhood is a critical factor that determines who becomes an inventor and the types of innovations they pursue. Using this study as a proxy, it is more important than ever for our industry to build on and pay attention to the existing platforms, such as the “This is Mine Life” and “Women in Mining” initiatives, coupled with First Nations’ mining engagement programs, to ensure that existing mine workers within these demographics can engage with and share stories about their experiences in the mining industry and ultimately serve as role models. The research shows that role models are one of, if not “the” most important, factor(s) our industry needs to engage these populations. 

Don Duval is the CEO of NORCAT.