Editor's letter

Fatigue monitoring and management remains a nascent discipline in mining, but technology and industry understanding are progressing. We speak to mining companies and tech providers to find out how advances in biomathematical modelling, AI and machine learning are expected to drive safety and productivity improvements in future.  

Plus, we interview Gecko Robotics to learn how robots and AI can support asset management in the mining industry.

We also look to COP29, which is currently underway in Azerbaijan, and ask what the summit means for the mining sector. With responsible mining at the fore in Baku, we also hear about policy actions that could help clean up the artisanal mining sector. 

In commodities, we examine the outlook for gold in West Africa. Despite a flurry of recent activity, production is set to fall by 2030, with political instability and illegal mining activities proving a deterrent to investors in the region. Can this be overcome? GlobalData also offers its iron ore projections for Brazil.

Caroline Peachey, editor