Collaboration between major Chinese companies and the big Tier 1 miners continues to gain momentum. Codelco and Huawei Chile have just signed a Memorandum of Understanding that lays the foundation for a technological collaboration. They said the main objective of this agreement is to identify areas of cooperation and implement joint pilot projects that will drive the Corporation’s digital transformation and operational efficiency.
The document contemplates exploring opportunities such as the use of Artificial Intelligence for automation and efficiency improvements, connectivity in open-pit and underground mining operations, cloud services, and technologies applied to mining processes, among other areas.
“This agreement is the result of the conversations we began during a trip to China earlier this year to enhance Codelco’s technological development and innovation, which will keep us in a leading role in global mining, as the world’s largest copper producer,” said Máximo Pacheco, Chairman of the Board of Codelco.
“The industry’s major challenges require active collaboration with various stakeholders. That’s why we’re promoting partnerships with world-class companies like Huawei, whose extensive technical capabilities and advanced infrastructure will allow us to find technological solutions that respond to the urgent needs of the present and propel us into the future,” Pacheco added.
With a presence in over 170 countries, Huawei is a global leader in digital infrastructure and smart devices for various business verticals, allocating more than 20% of its annual revenue to Research and Development (R&D).
“The mining industry is evolving toward greater worker safety, sustainability, and operational efficiency, based on four pillars: mechanisation, automation, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence. And at Huawei, we develop cutting-edge technology to achieve all of these goals,” emphasised Theodore Shao, Vice President of Mining at Huawei Enterprise Latin America.
“We are proud to sign a technology collaboration agreement between Huawei and Codelco, given the broad potential to drive digital transformation, worker safety on site, and productivity for the benefit of the Chilean mining sector,” added the technology company’s senior executive.
The cooperation agreement includes a needs assessment and the exchange of best practices to develop a pilot program that includes the use of Artificial Intelligence for process optimisation.
“The strategic alliance with Huawei is a great example of how we are integrating cutting-edge technology into our operations. Through open and disruptive innovation, which enables us to supply the global market with critical minerals that enable the energy transition, we are advancing our goal of being a pillar of sustainable development in Chile and the world,” said Codelco CEO Rubén Alvarado.