UQOMM
Digital Mining:
operational digital twin, applied artificial intelligence, and integrated operations center for modern mining
The layer that turns data into decisions. We integrate IoT sensorization, LTE/5G/fiber connectivity, and existing OT/IT systems into an operational digital twin, strengthen it with advanced analytics and AI, and deliver it to Integrated Operations Centers (IROC) where day to day decisions are made.
UQOMM
Digital Mining: integrating data to enhance mining operations
Digital Mining integrates and transforms the data generated by a mining operation into better operational, maintenance, safety, and management decisions. It is not an isolated tool, but a way of designing a connected operation. It is built on four pillars: an Operational Digital Twin that reflects the real time state of the operation; a data platform that unifies OT and IT under a common governance model; an analytics and artificial intelligence layer that converts data into actionable information; and an Integrated Operations Center (IROC) where teams make decisions with a complete view of the business.
The question is no longer whether digitalization is worthwhile, but where to begin, what sequence to follow, and how to build a strategy that delivers value from the earliest stages. The most advanced operations have demonstrated improvements in metallurgical recovery, reductions in energy consumption, increased asset availability, and significant advances in operational safety. These results do not come from adopting technologies in isolation, but from implementing an integrated digital architecture where connectivity, data, and applications function as a single system.
At UQOMM, we develop end to end Digital Mining programs because we design both the communications infrastructure and the sensorization layer that feeds the digital operation. We integrate fiber optics, LTE/5G, Leaky Feeder, Wi Fi, Spread Spectrum, and IoT to ensure that data arrives with the quality, frequency, and latency required by each application. This eliminates dependencies among multiple vendors and builds an architecture ready to evolve. Because the true value of a digital operation does not lie in generating more data, but in having reliable information to make better decisions.
UQOMM
Capabilities of a Digital Mining Strategy
A Digital Mining strategy combines a set of technological capabilities that, when implemented in an integrated fashion, improve operational visibility and support more informed decision making.
Technology
Typical implementation phases
Digital Mining is not deployed overnight. UQOMM works through clearly defined phases with measurable milestones, where each stage funds the next and commitment scales based on tangible results:
| Phase | Typical Duration | Key Milestones | UQOMM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnosis | 4–8 weeks | Technology inventory, maturity assessment, gap analysis | Compatible |
| Roadmap | 4–6 weeks | Prioritized use cases + business case | Compatible |
| MVP / Pilot | 3–6 months | First use case in production with KPIs | Compatible |
| Scaling | 6–18 months | OT/IT integration + operational digital twin | Compatible |
| Consolidation | Continuous | Operational IROC + AI models in production | Compatible |
| Continuous Improvement | Continuous | New use cases and models built on the existing base | Compatible |
UQOMM
Where does Digital Mining apply?
Mining
Tunnels
Offshore
UQOMM
Technologies
Digital Mining
in underground mining
In underground mining, Digital Mining delivers value across three main fronts: occupational health and safety (ventilation digital twin + geolocation + gas monitoring + operator fatigue), predictive maintenance for critical equipment (jumbos, scooptrams, conveyors), and dynamic planning of the drill–blast–load–haul cycle. The underground digital twin is particularly valuable because the lack of direct visibility means that every additional percentage point of certainty translates into safer and more productive decisions.
- Ventilation digital twin with on demand operation
- Predictive maintenance for jumbos, scooptrams, and conveyors
- Dynamic planning of the drill–blast cycle
- Integrated safety: gas, fatigue, geolocation, and evacuation
UQOMM
Why UQOMM for your Digital Mining program
Infrastructure for Digital Mining
The success of a Digital Mining strategy depends on far more than a software platform. It requires an infrastructure capable of connecting people, equipment, and systems, integrating communications, sensorization, and OT/IT integration to ensure reliable information availability.
UQOMM designs this infrastructure to deliver information with the quality and timeliness required, facilitating the incorporation of technologies such as monitoring platforms, analytics, and digital twins.
Open and interoperable architecture
Our solutions employ widely adopted industry standards such as OPC UA, MQTT Sparkplug B, ISA 95, and open formats, enabling interoperability across platforms and supporting the evolution of the technological infrastructure.
This ensures that the client retains control over their information and the flexibility to integrate new systems or technologies as their operation grows.
Operations oriented Digital Mining
Digital transformation generates value only when it enables superior decision making.
Accordingly, UQOMM deploys technologies that respond to concrete operational challenges, supporting processes such as predictive maintenance, operational planning, energy optimization, and safety management.
Evolution without system replacement
Digital Mining does not substitute existing systems; it integrates them. UQOMM designs solutions that connect with platforms such as SCADA, MES, ERP, and EAM, capitalizing on the infrastructure already implemented and enabling a gradual technological evolution. Each project incorporates new capabilities precisely where they deliver measurable value, avoiding unnecessary replacement of systems that already perform effectively.
Decision making enabled by information
A digital twin provides value only when its information effectively supports decision-making. UQOMM implements solutions that integrate IROC, role specific dashboards, alerting mechanisms, and operational processes, ensuring proper adoption so that technology contributes meaningfully to a more connected and efficient operation.
UQOMM
FAQ
1. What exactly is a digital twin, and how does it differ from an advanced SCADA?
A digital twin is a living computational model of a physical asset, process, or system, fed by real or near real time data and capable of three things that a SCADA does not do: representing the current state with a level of resolution and depth (physical, logical, contextual) that surpasses the traditional HMI; predicting future evolution through physical, empirical, or hybrid models; and simulating hypothetical interventions before executing them, in order to choose the best one. SCADA shows what is happening; the twin shows what is happening, why, what is going to happen, and what is advisable to do. In mining, digital twins cover critical assets (mills, conveyors, shovels), processes (flotation, leaching, crushing), zones (faces, dumps), or the fully integrated operation.In mining, digital twins may represent critical assets (mills, conveyors, shovels), processes (flotation, leaching, crushing), operational zones (faces, waste dumps), or the fully integrated operation.
2. How much does a serious Digital Mining program cost, and how long does it take?
The answer depends on the scope and the initial maturity of the operation. A typical roadmap for a mid sized site includes: 4–8 weeks of diagnosis, 4–6 weeks to build the roadmap, 3–6 months to deliver an MVP in production with measurable KPIs, 6–18 months of scaling to consolidate the operational digital twin and OT/IT integration, followed by continuous operation with incremental improvement. Initial investments are generally moderate (the MVP is typically financed through IT/OT operational expenditures), while the scaling phase is self‑financed through efficiencies and savings generated by the initial use cases. UQOMM provides a detailed business case prior to initiating each subsequent phase.
3. Where should we start if our level of digitalization is low?
A practical guideline is to begin with the use case that satisfies two criteria: demonstrable economic impact and short technical feasibility (readily available data, a designated decision maker, and measurable outcomes within six months). Common initial candidates include: predictive maintenance for a critical asset (such as a mill, conveyor group, or electrical substation), energy optimization via on demand ventilation in underground mining, fleet tire optimization in open pit operations, or variability reduction in a specific plant process. The initial use case is executed as an MVP, forming the foundation upon which the remainder of the program is developed, rather than initiating a large, fully integrated project from the outset.
4. What is the relationship between Digital Mining and generative artificial intelligence?
Generative AI (LLMs) is incorporated across two functional layers. In the interface layer, LLMs enable natural‑language interrogation of the digital twin (“identify the conveyor with the highest failure likelihood this month and the parts required”), automated report generation, and cross‑disciplinary translation. In the engineering layer, LLMs expedite model development, process documentation, and real‑time support for operators and maintenance personnel (conversational guidance, structured diagnostics). Our implementations include LLMs equipped with industrial‑grade guardrails: fully traceable outputs, hallucination mitigation via RAG grounded in the client’s technical documentation, and auditing of all critical interactions.
5. How is cybersecurity protected when OT is connected with IT and cloud?
Cybersecurity is protected through a defense‑in‑depth architecture applied from the design stage. This includes Purdue‑level segmentation (0–5) with an industrial DMZ between OT and IT, industrial firewalls at every exchange point, device‑ and user‑based identity, end‑to‑end encryption, centralized key management, immutable logging of critical events, and behavioral anomaly detection. The entire program follows IEC 62443 and NIST 800‑82 controls and is audited periodically. When cloud is used, encrypted tunnels are deployed, data leaving the perimeter is minimized, and edge processing (MEC) is prioritized for critical use cases.
6. What typical ROI does a well‑executed Digital Mining program deliver?
Measured returns generally fall within five principal drivers: Reduction in unavailability of critical assets (ranging from 8% to 22% during the initial predictive maintenance cycle). Energy efficiency gains (between 12% and 25% in on demand ventilation systems and optimized beneficiation plants). Enhancement of metallurgical recovery (between 0.3 and 1.5 percentage points through more precise control of plant variables). Decrease in operational safety incidents (dependent on the initial operational context). Improved fleet planning and utilization (between 5% and 12%). A complete Digital Mining program typically achieves payback within 12 to 30 months, with individual use cases reaching breakeven earlier.
7. What happens with the data: who safeguards it, and how do you avoid vendor lock‑in?
At UQOMM, we believe operational data always belongs to our clients. That is why we design our solutions using open formats (Parquet, Iceberg) and widely adopted industry standards, ensuring portability and seamless integration with other platforms. When we develop AI models for a project, we deliver all the information required for their use and long‑term continuity. Our objective is to ensure that each client retains complete control over their data and operates on an open, evolution‑ready architecture that avoids dependency on any single vendor.
Caso de éxito
Gemelo digital de planta y centro integrado de operaciones - Cobre, Sur Andino
Programa Digital Mining end-to-end sobre una operación de cobre con planta concentradora de 160.000 t/día y mina subterránea anexa. Sobre la infraestructura existente (fibra troncal, LTE Privada, Leaky Feeder y 3.800 sensores IoT multiprotocolo) UQOMM construyó un gemelo digital operacional por capas: geometría y activos, procesos de planta (chancado, molienda, flotación), flujos de materia y energía, y ventilación subterránea. La integración OT/IT se implementó sobre OPC UA, MQTT Sparkplug B y conectores nativos con el SCADA (Ignition), el historiador (PI System), el EAM (Maximo) y el ERP (SAP). Seis modelos de IA en producción cubren mantenimiento predictivo de molinos y correas, optimización de ley en flotación, ventilación on-demand y planificación dinámica de flota. El IROC de 280 m² concentra operaciones de mina, planta, mantenimiento, energía y seguridad con 18 puestos y videowall de 11 m. Resultados a 18 meses: +1,1 puntos porcentuales en recuperación de cobre, -19% en consumo energético de ventilación subterránea, -14% en no-disponibilidad de correas críticas, -8% en horas-operador de planificación de turno.
Ver caso completo
Tecnologías desplegadas
Gemelo digital operacional por capas
Integración OT/IT (OPC UA, Sparkplug B)
6 modelos IA en producción
Data lake con formatos abiertos
UQOMM
Complementary technologies
Digital Mining is built on the full UQOMM technology portfolio. It is the upper layer of a stack that only works when all underlying layers work correctly:
Technology
IoT Technology for Mining
How it contributes to Digital Mining:
It is the primary data source feeding the digital twin. Without continuous, multiprotocol sensorization, a true operational digital twin cannot exist. UQOMM connects both layers as an integrated stack from the design stage.
Technology
Private LTE and Private 5G Technology
How it contributes to Digital Mining:
They form the transport layer for IoT data and for mobile assets (trucks, shovels, jumbos, drones, wearables). The quality and latency of this layer determine which Digital Mining use cases are technically viable: 5G URLLC and slicing enable use cases that LTE cannot support.
Technology
Leaky Feeder Technology
How it contributes to Digital Mining:
In underground mining, it provides voice and emergency coverage; Digital Mining integrates its data (locations, alarms, events) into the digital twin to achieve full visibility of the underground operation.
Technology
Underground / Industrial Wi‑Fi Technology
How it contributes to Digital Mining:
It provides high‑bandwidth coverage in dense areas for industrial terminals, HD cameras, and operator tablets that both consume and supply data to the digital twin at the point of work.
Technology
Spread Spectrum Technology
How it contributes to Digital Mining:
It provides backhaul and redundancy to the transport layers; in distributed deployments (utilities, oil & gas) it can also be part of the data‑collection network.