Sensors, resilience, and automation: Lessons for the modern mining site

The German Technology Day showcased how industrial technology leaders are responding to the realities of heavy industries. For mining in particular, the themes were clear: stricter safety and environmental standards, costly downtime, and the challenge of keeping remote, harsh sites running reliably. Measurement and automation are central to tackling these issues. But success not only depends on what products exist, but also on how well they are integrated into day-to-day mining operations.

State of the mining industry: Key pain points

Canadian mines are under pressure on the following fronts:

Tailings and slurry management: Regulators and communities are demanding safer containment, with failures carrying catastrophic reputational and financial consequences.

Downtime and maintenance costs: An ABB survey found unplanned downtime costs Canadian industry an average of $242,000 per hour. In mining, equipment breakdowns lead to roughly 23 hours of lost production per month per machine. That adds up quickly across an operation.

Harsh and remote conditions: From extreme cold and freeze–thaw cycles to abrasive slurries, mines need equipment that can withstand stress, while crews often have limited access to perform maintenance.

Digital and regulatory expectations: Investors, regulators, and communities expect real-time monitoring and transparent reporting. Environmental performance is now core to operational strategy, not a side issue.

Attributes that matter

What stood out at German Technology Day was less about specific devices and more about the qualities that define successful mining technology:

Durability against vibration, dust, cold, and moisture.

Precision even in dense, dirty, or abrasive media.

Integration into existing digital systems with standardized interfaces and remote connectivity.

Low maintenance design to minimize site visits and service.

Real-time monitoring and alerts that enable predictive maintenance and rapid safety response.

Companies like JUMO showcased these attributes, emphasizing that careful engineering — from robust housings to smart digital interfaces — is what separates lab-ready devices from solutions that perform year after year in a tailings pond or pump station.

Applications in mining operations

For mine site managers and operations leads, these technology attributes connect directly to the following high-stakes applications:

Tailings ponds and slurry tanks: Reliable level and pressure monitoring prevents overflows, protects communities, and supports compliance.

Pipelines and pumps: Flow and pressure monitoring detect leaks early, protect equipment, and reduce costly energy waste.

Filtration and process control: Continuous monitoring ensures filters and circulation systems function correctly, preventing expensive blockages or failures.

Safety and risk detection: Automated monitoring reduces reliance on manual inspections in hazardous or remote areas, providing early warnings before small problems escalate.

Broader implications for workflow and strategy

Adopting robust sensing and automation is not only about installing hardware. It reshapes operations as follows:

Mines can shift from reactive repairs to predictive maintenance.

Manual inspections in dangerous areas can be replaced by remote, automated checks.

Data-driven decision-making becomes central to daily site management.

ESG and compliance teams gain traceable environmental data to demonstrate safe operations and regulatory adherence.

As project managers and integrators, our clients rely on us to ensure that selected systems are not only fit on paper but also proven in the field — durable, maintainable, and genuinely useful. With experience in remote, cold, and high-risk conditions, they understand how to bridge the gap between technology suppliers and operational realities.

Looking ahead

German Technology Day reinforced a critical point: the future of mining depends not only on new technologies, but also on how effectively they are applied. Over the next 5 to 10 years, the mines that succeed will be those that embed reliable sensing and automation into their core operations — not as bolt-on extras, but as foundational tools.

These mines will see reduced downtime, safer operations, better environmental performance, and ultimately, stronger cost control. For operators, that means asking vendors tough questions about durability, integration, and lifecycle cost. For integrators like us, it means delivering systems that do not just measure conditions — they help keep Canada’s mines productive, compliant, and sustainable in some of the world’s toughest environments. 

Sara Fernandez is CEO of Elevated Project Management, where she leads the selection, deployment, and integration of sensor, automation, and connectivity solutions in mining and industrial operations.