Jeff Hamilton, Senior Director of Brand Strategy and Alliances at Dassault Systèmes, stated that digital twin technology uses software to reconstruct physical entity models, enabling mining companies to place themselves at the heart of a sustainable supply chain and achieve end-to-end traceability of minerals—from the mine to their final applications.
　　
　　Hamilton stated, “Digital twin technology can also help mining operators identify energy-intensive production processes and accelerate the transition to renewable energy. Digital twins are critical for digitizing all production operations, enabling users to make optimal economic decisions while also delivering significant benefits in health, safety, and environmental protection. Ultimately, the long-term goal is to safeguard the entire ecosystem surrounding exploited natural resources, guided by the principles of a circular economy.”
　　
　　According to Hamilton, achieving the aforementioned goals could generate substantial economic value. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, stakeholders can implement a range of measures, including traceability of specific mineral products or iron ore from mine sites through processing plants and onward to other end-use or downstream processing facilities.
　　
　　Digital twin technology can be leveraged to enhance supply-chain efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, a view echoed by Martin Provencher, Industry Specialist in AVEVA’s Mining and Metals Division. He stated, “The applications of digital twins extend beyond mine‑site processes; they can also streamline the flow of mineral products throughout the value chain. Along the entire journey—from mine to port—there are numerous opportunities to optimize production operations through digital‑twin solutions. While implementation may vary depending on specific circumstances, the overarching strategy for deploying digital twins remains consistent across mining methods, and the benefits they deliver to mine operators are similarly aligned. By adopting digital twin technology, the mining industry can advance environmental, social, and governance objectives—for instance, by reducing energy consumption across the entire mining process. The technology also offers significant potential in crushing and grinding operations, as well as in enhancing equipment reliability. Moreover, improved process modeling enabled by digital twins can help cut the consumption of consumables such as process water, flotation reagents, and flocculants. Armed with insights derived from digital twins, mine operators can more closely monitor nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide emissions and, through better‑informed decision‑making, mitigate their generation. From upstream raw materials—including feed ore—to final product manufacturing, and throughout the logistics chain from port to manufacturers and end users, digital twin technology can be applied at every stage.”
　　
　　In its July 2021 report, “A Net-Zero Workforce: Mining and Metals,” Deloitte notes that mining companies can remotely leverage digital twin technology for exploration, equipment troubleshooting, and project planning and design—without adverse environmental impacts. Applying digital twins to drill-and-blast design and to digitally simulate mine life‑cycle plans can help mine operators enhance resource forecasting, allocation, monitoring, and management. The report states that this approach improves data governance while boosting accuracy and efficiency. Developing digital twins and virtual models, as well as formulating operational plans, requires a suite of new and distinctive capabilities, including critical thinking, data visualization, and proactive decision‑making grounded in predictive analytics.
　　
　　In January 2021, Dassault Systèmes partnered with the information technology services and consulting firm Accenture to produce the report “Accelerating Sustainability Performance Through Digital Twins.” The report asserts that digital twin technology can rapidly and at scale advance sustainability and the circular economy. It projects that by 2030, digital twins could generate an additional $1.3 trillion in economic value and reduce carbon emissions by 7.5 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. Furthermore, the report highlights that digital twin technology can shorten time-to-market and mitigate risks in complex projects. It also notes that 85% of global electric vehicle development leverages digital twin technology, and that the global electric vehicle market was valued at $5.4 billion in 2020.
　　
　　The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
　　
　　Provencher agrees with the aforementioned view. Regarding the impact of this pandemic on innovation, Provencher stated, “The COVID‑19 pandemic has heightened every company’s awareness of digital technologies, including mining enterprises. Solutions such as remote operations were not previously prioritized, but they have now become essential for many mining companies—partly because employees have been compelled to work remotely. As workers grow increasingly adept at remote work and collaboration in virtual environments, production entities across the mining industry will come to recognize the value of digital twins.”
　　
　　Challenges in Technology Implementation
　　
　　In 2021, a paper titled “Digital Twins: From Origins to the Future” published by the University of Limerick noted that the true potential of digital twin technology remains “shrouded in the fog of its future form.” The paper argued that digital twins will evolve in parallel with other intelligent technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and big data. It also projected that, within six years, the global market for digital twins across various industries will grow by 58%, reaching US$48.2 billion by 2026—driven in part by the COVID‑19 pandemic, as more companies turn to digitalization. However, the paper acknowledged that significant barriers persist in the adoption of digital twin technology, ranging from engineering and technical challenges to business‑related considerations. Furthermore, ambiguities remain in defining digital twins, and there is a lack of internationally harmonized data‑related standards and regulations. The paper highlighted that one of the most substantial challenges in implementing digital twin technology is its high cost; moreover, deploying digital twins is both time‑consuming and labor‑intensive, making it a costly investment.
　　
　　Hamilton believes, “Although the costs may be high, digital twin technology can be implemented in mines of all sizes, so it is not exclusive to large-scale operations.” When asked how to deploy digital twins in smaller‑scale mines, Hamilton said, “I would first ask what specific problems you need to address. I’d also inquire about the value it could deliver. For instance, we might start by focusing on a handful of key issues, launch a project that is manageable from a cost perspective, and define a clear set of tasks designed to generate tangible value.”
　　
　　Provencher also stated, “When implementing digital twin technology, companies should adopt a phased approach. To begin, they must identify which production processes are creating bottlenecks or posing challenges—such as those involving high energy consumption or significant greenhouse gas emissions. The successful deployment of digital twins hinges on four key factors: high-quality data that accurately reflects the status of equipment, processes, and operations; the accuracy of predictive models for future equipment conditions; an integrated closed-loop methodology for updating the digital twin based on new data; and visualization tools that enable informed decision-making grounded in digital twin insights. To fully realize the potential of digital twins, mining operators need a comprehensive data management strategy, along with the requisite applications and visualization platforms, to meet all these requirements.”