Project description
The future of mining is digital
The mining industry, which dates back thousands of years, has provided the world with the raw materials needed to develop economies and communities. With the rise of key enabling technologies and rapidly increasing demands for raw materials, mining is embarking on a path towards digital transformation. The EU-funded Dig_IT is addressing the needs of the mining industry to move towards a human-centred, environmentally oriented and society-driven approach. To improve the efficiency and sustainability of mining operations by connecting cyber and physical systems, it will develop a smart industrial IoT platform. Data will be collected from sensors at three levels: human, assets, and environment. It will also incorporate both market real-time and historical data.
Objective
The turnover of mining and quarrying in Europe reaches up to 224 billion Euros and has generated EUR 64.9 billion of value added, 1% of the non-financial business economy total. The rise of key enabling technologies and the urbanisation and industrialisation of emerging economies in combination with increase in population and living standards will continue to drive growing demand for raw materials. The need to extract raw materials in a profitable, environmentally sound, and safe way for both mining workforce and communities is driving the mining industry towards innovative approaches to transform operations. Even though Industry 4.0 offers a wide spectrum of solutions, and intelligent technologies to address respective challenges, the mining industry hesitates to adopt such innovative approaches when compared to downstream industries. In addition, the need for a human-centred, environmentally oriented and society-driven approach is emerging in developing Industrial Internet of Things technologies for mining. Dig_IT will address the needs of the mining industry to move forward towards a sustainable use of resources while keeping people and environment at the forefront of their priorities. In order to achieve that Dig_IT proposes the development of a smart Industrial Internet of Things platform (IIoTp) that will improve the efficiency and sustainability of mining operations by connecting cyber and physical systems. The platform will collect data from sensors at 3 levels: (i) human, (ii) assets, (iii) environment and will also incorporate both market real time and historical data. The impact of Dig_IT to the European Mining industry, but also the society itself, can be summarised in the following (with a horizon of 4 years after project ends): (i) increase of the mining efficiency by 17%, (ii) increased OEE for machines and loading by 20% and 18% respectively, (iii) 19% reduction of CO2eq, (iv) about 310 new jobs created and (v) over 28M EUR ROI for the consortium.
Fields of science
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesinternetinternet of things
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringmining and mineral processing
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementemployment
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
50018 Zaragoza
Spain
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Participants (20)
341 00 Chalkis
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
UB8 3PH Uxbridge
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33100 Tampere
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00175 Roma
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
106 82 ATHINA
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28015 Madrid
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
3065 Lemesos
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1050 Bruxelles / Brussel
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
EH10 7DS EDINBURGH
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
118 54 ATHENS
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
24063 Castro
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
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95400 Tornio
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
95400 Tornio
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8626 Mo I Rana
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
8622 Mo I Rana
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4380 Hauge I Dalane
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24040 Stezzano (Bg)
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Participation ended
10437 Berlin
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26101 PANCEVO
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.