Set to be worth $218bn by 2030, robotics will change the talent requirements of the mining sector, which is struggling with recruitment.

The robotics industry will be worth $218bn by 2030, offering productivity and a solution to the talent shortage facing the global mining industry.

Service robots will be the “growth engine” of the robotics sector, according to GlobalData’s new Robotics in Mining report, which notes that: “With the mining industry under pressure to cut costs and enhance efficiency and safety, automation is a potential solution.”

Automation offers increased mine productivity as robotics streamline hauling, drilling, blasting and exploration processes.

The report particularly considers the role of tele-remote control, autonomous trucks and load haul dump (LHD) vehicles. It estimates that there were 1,032 in use worldwide in May 2023, with an estimated 41% of these in use in Australia.

Of this, it says: “Operating 24/7, these trucks optimise routes to minimise fuel consumption by 10% and increase productivity by up to 30%, while reducing the risk of accidents by 80%.”