IDC FutureScape Figure

Figure: IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Mining 2021 Top 10 Predictions

Executive Summary

IDC FutureScape Predictions

Summary of External Drivers

Predictions: Impact on Technology Buyers

Prediction 1: By 2021, Underground Operations that Have Initiated Wireless Connectivity Will Be 30% More Efficient than Those that Have Not, Improving Their Position on the Production Cost Curve.

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Guidance

Prediction 2: By 2022, Mining Organisations Will Increase Their Purchase of Localized Equipment and Services by 50% to Ensure Continuity of Supply and Meet Government Expectations.

Associated Drivers

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Guidance

Prediction 3: Mining Companies That Increase OT Security Investments as of 2022 Across Technology and Their Organization by at Least 25% Will Experience Half as Many Unplanned Outages as Those That Do Not.

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Guidance

Prediction 4: By 2022, Process Efficiency Will Increase by 2% Via the Use of IOT Devices Implemented across the End-to-End Process, Achieving Cost and Material Flow Optimization through Analytics and Control.

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Prediction 5: By 2022, 80% of Miners Will Centrally Collect Energy Usage Data to Manage Carbon Targets, Driving Investment in Alternative Energy Sources Across Their Operations.

Associated Drivers

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Guidance

Prediction 6: By 2023, Accelerated Through Collaborative Government METS Initiatives, 70% of Mid-Tier Miners Will Develop Non-Proprietary Platforms in Consortiums, Enabling the Democratization of OEM Systems.

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Prediction 7: By 2023, 20% of a Site's Supervisory Employees Will Be Enabled to Work Remotely Via Distributed, Virtual Control Surfaces While On-Site Hazardous or Repetitive Tasks Will Become Highly Automated.

Associated Drivers

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Guidance

Prediction 8: By 2024, 50% of Miners Will Create Digital Engineering Teams within Operations, Delivering the Greatest Impact through Data Governance, Self-Service, and Low Code/No Code–Based Innovation Approaches.

Associated Drivers

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Prediction 9: By 2025, 3 of the Top 5 Miners Will Be Operating or Designing Mines Utilizing AI in the Mine Design that will Deliver a 20% Improvement in Stripping Ratios Via More Hazardous but Profitable Profiles.

Associated Drivers

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Guidance

Prediction 10: By 2025, Miners Who Adopt a Closed Loop Operational System Enabled by Market-Led Insight of Downstream Customer Process Requirements Will Achieve 5% Higher Profitability than Competitors that Don't.

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Guidance

Advice for Technology Buyers

External Drivers: Detail

Strategic Innovation — Shaping the Future Enterprise Today

The Next Normal — Resilient Business and Operating Models

Intelligence Everywhere — Data Drives Action

Geopolitical Risk — Societal and Economic Tensions Escalate

Digital Platform — Ecosystems at Scale

Digital Divide — The Imperative of Connectivity

The Learning Organization — Asymmetrical Advantage

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