SOFTWARE
HOW
DIGITAL TWINS can help safeguard tailings facilities
Seequent shares insights into the potential of digital twin technology for better management, safety and sustainability By Pieter Neethling
E
nvironmental, socioeconomic and political risks along with a need to digitally transform the mining industry, has put tailings storage facilities (TSFs) in the spotlight. Better stewardship has become the crucial operational objective. This article explores the potential of a digital twin to help better manage performance, enhance sustainability, and improve safety. My career has spanned 35 years, and, in this time, I have experienced a compelling evolution of the industry. Intelligent mining is the new strategic imperative – a departure from siloed legacies towards an agile, value-driven business model. The drive to a digitally enabled, productive, safe operation is now key and the potential to create a dynamic digital twin is a game changer in the industry. The value of Seequent’s visualization technology lies in providing a constant, clear picture and a better understanding of the physical system throughout all phases of the project lifecycle. In doing so, geoscientists and engineers can make informed and timely decisions. 36 | CANADIAN
MINING JOURNAL
What is a digital twin? Simply put, a digital twin is specifically designed to bridge the physical and digital worlds. It provides a virtual representation of an object or system across its lifecycle, using real-time data that can be examined, altered and tested but without real-world interaction or disturbance. In mining, a continuously or dynamically updated digital twin can incorporate changing sub-surface and geotechnical data to consistently evaluate all spatial, numeric and intellectual information of a facility in a powerfully visual 3-D context. TSFs are constantly evolving structures and potentially high risk. Ultimately, a digital twin can enable collaborative learning and reasoning to support improved decision making and identify problems early to help avoid negative consequences such as environmental damage or failure.
What is driving the change? As the mining industry becomes increasingly exposed to environmental, social and governance (ESG) compliance, there is a shift in the way the industry manages risk and adheres to responsible mining practices. Investors want to ensure that their money is used in a sustainable and responsible fashion. Responsible investment demands greater transparency in tailings management disclosure across industry, community, regulatory and financial stakeholders. To truly learn from a failure event and fulfil the ultimate goal of the global standard, complete transparency regarding a chain of events is essential. We can easily imagine how a dynamiwww.canadianminingjournal.com
