Barrick will incorporate Avathon’s artificial intelligence into its business gold mining in North America with the goal of connecting operational information and processes ranging from exploration to production.
The mining company selected Avathon’s Autonomy Platform as part of a strategy to develop an AI-powered operating model. The technology will enable the company to analyze operational conditions, identify risks and opportunities, and provide information to support decision-making.
In this way, Barrick’s AI in mining will have applications in exploration, mine planning, safety, production, processing, maintenance and supply chain.
Avathon AI will connect Barrick’s operations
Currently, a mining operation generates information from equipment, processing plants, inventories, maintenance, and planning systems. Avathon’s approach involves relating this data to obtain a broader view of operating conditions.
For this purpose, his Autonomy Platform it uses a computational knowledge graph capable of relating assets, processes, people, constraints, and operational data. AI agents work on this information, analyzing the context and supporting decisions and workflows.
Pervinder Johar, CEO of Avathon, believes that this integration represents an evolution from the traditional approach to digital mining.
The opportunity now is to connect those pieces into an intelligent operating system.
Johar stated.
According to the executive, the goal is to combine human expertise with physical AI across the mining value chain to improve aspects such as safety, productivity, and recovery.
Safety and predictive maintenance among the first applications
One of the first areas of application will be mine safety. Barrick will be able to use computer vision and AI-based monitoring to detect hazardous conditions and unsafe behavior.
The platform will also analyze the condition of assets to anticipate potential failures. This predictive maintenance will allow for recommended interventions and coordinated repairs to reduce unexpected downtime and improve equipment availability.
AI will also connect information on scheduled maintenance, inventory, suppliers, and demand forecasts. With this, Barrick aims to improve material availability and more accurately manage risks related to its supply chain.
AI will also be used in mineral processing and recovery.
Furthermore, Avathon will integrate information on ore flow, processing, maintenance, and operational constraints.
The combined analysis of these variables will allow for the identification of adjustments aimed at reducing variability and improving performance between the mine and the processing plant. Mineral recovery thus emerges as another of the main application areas of [the technology/engineering/processing/etc.]. artificial intelligence within Barrick’s operations.
Mark Hill, president and CEO of Barrick, noted that the company’s intention is to connect the entire value chain from exploration to production.
“By combining world-class mining expertise with AI, we can improve safety, increase recovery and productivity, and strengthen supply chain reliability and performance,” Hill said.
Machine learning for mine planning and exploration
Similarly, the Autonomy Platform will have functions related to mine planning. Algorithms will be able to analyze operational data and constraints to help develop programs that better reflect the actual conditions of each operation.
In exploration, machine learning will be applied to geological, operational, and production data. The aim is to improve decisions regarding potential mineral targets and accelerate the evaluation of opportunities with economic potential.
This approach expands the use of AI from specific automation tasks to a system that connects different stages of the mining business.
The professionals will maintain control of the operations
Despite the extent of automation, the planned model maintains human oversight. The platform will perform analysis, predictions, and reasoning to support decisions, while Barrick professionals will retain operational judgment, accountability, and control.
Avathon indicates that this scheme will be accompanied by internal governance mechanisms and safeguards to manage the incorporation of new artificial intelligence capabilities.
The technology company specializes in industrial AI applied to physical operations. Its platform transforms operational data into knowledge to plan and coordinate manufacturing processes, supply chains, and asset Management.
With its integration into Barrick’s gold assets in North America, artificial intelligence will now play a role at multiple points in the same operational chain, from the search for new mineral resources including the processing and maintenance of the equipment.
Fountain: Avathon
Foto: Shutterstrock
