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India's mining sector is entering the "Mining 5.0" era, where the focus will shift from isolated digital technologies to integrated systems powered by artificial intelligence, real-time data and connected operations, according to a report by Deloitte India and the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
The report titled "Mining 5.0 - Emerging mining technologies by 2030" stated that while several mining organisations in India have already adopted elements of Mining 4.0, digital capabilities across the sector remain fragmented. According to the report, India's biggest opportunity now lies in integrating and orchestrating existing technologies rather than introducing more isolated digital tools. The report highlighted that without integration, digital investments risk remaining limited pilot projects with low enterprise value. It said effective integration of data, analytics, artificial intelligence and governance across mining operations can help create system-level capabilities aligned with national priorities such as energy security, sustainability and inclusive growth. The report noted that the next phase for India's mining industry is to move from deploying individual digital technologies toward building integrated operating systems that connect data, AI and governance across the mining value chain. According to the report, India already has a strong digital foundation through platforms such as NGDR, NMI, NDAP and the Unified Mining Portal. The report said interoperability through common APIs (Application Programming Interface) could help transform these platforms into a Mining 5.0 intelligence backbone supporting near real-time data flows, risk-based regulation and improved planning systems. It also highlighted the importance of cloud-edge hybrid architectures for India's diverse and connectivity-constrained mining environment. According to the report, edge systems can support low-latency and safety-critical decisions, while cloud platforms can enable enterprise analytics and multi-mine intelligence. The report further stressed the need for convergence between information technology (IT), operational technology (OT) and engineering systems to enable dynamic digital twins, continuous planning and lifecycle optimisation. The report added that Mining 5.0 embeds sustainability into core mining operations through real-time intelligence and measurable performance systems. Artificial intelligence was described in the report as the "enterprise cognitive backbone" of Mining 5.0. According to the report, AI can integrate geological, operational, environmental and workforce data to support real-time risk management and decision-making. The report also highlighted AI-supported planning, predictive maintenance, predictive safety systems, talk-to-data capabilities and workforce augmentation through virtual assistants and intelligent standard operating procedures. It added that the future of Mining 5.0 in India will depend on leadership decisions around integration, governance, collaboration and workforce readiness. The report said Indian mining companies will need to shift from compliance-focused operations toward value-led transformation while investing in digital foundations, AI governance frameworks and workforce upskilling for human-AI collaboration. (ANI)
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