Editorial: The Digital Age is now

This month CMJ takes a further look at mining in the Digital Age.

Whatever we think about the rapid pace of change in the mineral industry – cleaner, greener, more transparent, digitization – there is no doubt that it is here today. Miners now have more options to sort, parse and share their data than ever before. And suppliers will be introducing even more productive and digital improvements in the near future.

If any of our readers need another reason to embrace the Digital Age, investors demand it. From choosing the most likely drill targets, to cutting the carbon footprint of production, to tracking your ESG performance, all will be examined before funding is forthcoming.

This is the year CMJ celebrates 140 years of publication. Born as the Canadian Mining Review, the first editor not only transformed it into the must-read monthly our readers know as CMJ, but he also organized the scattered professional associations into a national organization that is the today’s CIM. What a long way we and Canada’s mineral industry have come. The story starts on page 38.

For today’s mineral producers, we offer a number of features rooted in the Digital Age. Learn how to keep net-zero at the top of your agenda, beginning on page 13. Dive deep into cybersecurity (page 17), digitization (page 19) and data mining for the exploration sector (page 22) as well as how it can be a game changer in Africa (page 30).

We also take a look at mineral processing. Find out how one company is helping its clients boost efficiency and cut waste in the mill (page 27) and how the SRC is advancing its rare earth recovery process (page 32).

Costmine has provided readers with a renewed approach to estimating open pit costs (page 15).

Finally, read our regular columns on law (page 6), the social licence to operate (page 7) and the thriving BC economic recovery (page 9). 

ERRATUM: Our apologies to our friends at SRK for the misspelling of their name in the article about social engagement and tailings in our April issue. The error has been corrected online.