Could you introduce Strayos’ mine-to-mill platform and how it benefits its mining customers?

Strayos’ mine-to-mill platform provides AI solutions, machine-sensing solutions, and software solutions to optimize drilling, blasting, and crushing processes as well as site optimization. These drive major improvements to our mining clients’ efficiency, profitability, and sustainability.

Our mine-to-mill optimization starts at the first part of the operations value chain: drill and blast planning. Our platform allows clients to optimize their drilling processes and understand the ore body better through the data that has been collected from the remote sensing systems. This data is fed into the site’s digital twin and automated CAD analyses and AI Insights are generated in addition to the 3D model. This allows for an accurate and informed digital operation planning process. Clients are able to use the Intelligence not only to optimize drilling operations, but also to understand how drilling interacts with other site operations like blasting, loading, crushing and other site data like geology and design. Our AI also generates predictive modeling, which informs clients about the potential outcomes of their designed processes. We also have extensive blast design, prediction, and analysis intelligence tools that tie into the drilling intelligence and inform downstream operations.

Downstream, we have a suite of ore dilution analysis and movement analysis that helps the operator optimize the loading and hauling processes. Regarding crushing and milling, we have sensing systems which are a blend of hardware and HPI systems installed in the crushing machines to understand their capability. By collecting data at every stage we can create a scenario analysis, for example, of which blast design resulted in better energy consumption at the mill side.

Can you provide examples of the use of Strayos AI solutions by clients in Arizona and Nevada?

In Arizona and Nevada the mines use subcontractors like Drilling and blasting contractors that use our platform. They are more interested in the ore dilution side, the hauling side, and ways to improve ore fragmentation. Our dilution control services are more demanded by gold mines. Companies in both states are really starting to understand and embrace the benefits of AI for their operations, particularly how technology helps them look into the future.

How are AI and machine learning transforming the mining industry?

Mines are already generating lots of data; this creates loads of opportunities for AI to help pull usable Intelligence from that data. The mining industry is perfectly suited to take advantage of machine learning: there are actual business outcomes mining companies can derive from data such as safety, sustainability, and efficiency. AI and machine learning are also transforming the industry’s approach to safety. Autonomous remote sensing techniques prevent staff from going unnecessarily into harm’s way.

More Mining companies and universities are shifting their focus to data science, AI, and machine learning. The workforce coming in wants to think about how to automate the unpleasant parts of the job and how to build intelligent AI solutions to help them make better decisions.

Can you expand on the increasing threat of cyber-attacks against the mining industry?

Mining is a critical industry with mission critical assets. As they digitize and shift more of their data onto technology solutions, cybersecurity threats will increase. This requires actors throughout the industry to have mitigation measures in place. The transition is inevitable, the risk is known, all we need to do is prepare.

As an AI company, we focus on coming up with better security policy and protection measures for our clients’ data. At the tactical level, we develop security protocols and layers, and anonymize details in order not to expose any elements, encryption being the key.

So far not enough has been done by the industry to insure that the security side is covered. But from the investment perspective, things are moving in the right direction.

What growth opportunities do you see for Strayos in Arizona and Nevada in the next 2-3 years?

Arizona and Nevada recognize the importance of mining to their state, their people and the country. They welcome new technologies and strategies to increase safety, efficiency, and sustainability. They know AI is one of the tools that can help them realize their goals. So Arizona and Nevada are strategic markets for us.