Scaling Digital Mining – Social, Standardisation and Market Pathways to Adoption
From Digital Solutions to Real‑World Adoption: insights from the Mine.io Final Event
During the Mine.io Final Event, a dedicated session focused on the pathways required to move digital mining solutions from development to real-world adoption. While the project delivered a broad range of technological results, this session brought together selected perspectives addressing the transition through three complementary dimensions:
• assessment of social impacts,
• integration through standardisation,
• and structured pathways for market uptake.
The following sections present the key actions undertaken and the concrete outcomes achieved in each of these areas, as presented during the Final Event.
Social sustainability: structured assessment and pilot-based evaluation
To evaluate the social implications of digital transformation, Mine.io developed and implemented a structured Social Life Cycle Assessment (S‑LCA) framework consisting of four phases:
- identification of relevant social aspects and stakeholders,
- definition of assessment scope and system boundaries,
- data collection combining stakeholder input and existing datasets,
- evaluation of social impacts using a defined reference scale.
A quantitative–qualitative scoring system (-2 to +2) was used to assess different social aspects, allowing comparison between current and future scenarios.
During the Final Event, the application of this framework was presented using the Lavrion pilot as an example, where multiple implementation scenarios were analysed. The assessment covered:
- health and safety,
- working conditions,
- training and education,
- job satisfaction and involvement,
- discrimination and social inclusion,
- remuneration and social benefits.
The comparison of current and future scenarios indicated that in the analysed implementation variants:
- safety, training, and working conditions may improve, with scores shifting from neutral or negative values towards positive ones,
- job satisfaction may increase, linked to improved working conditions and reduced exposure to hazardous environments,
- training requirements increase, reflecting the need for new digital competences,
- social benefits and collective rights are expected to remain largely stable, indicating that technological changes do not directly affect institutional or policy‑driven aspects
At the same time, the analysis identified risks related to workforce adaptation, particularly in relation to changing skill requirements and the need for continuous upskilling.
Watch the full presentation from this part of the Final Event session:
This demonstrated that digital transformation introduces measurable social changes, but their outcomes depend on implementation strategies, training systems, and stakeholder engagement rather than technology alone.
The development of the social sustainability assessment approach was led by Politecnico di Torino (POL), based on methodological work and supported by data provided across the consortium, including input from the Lavrion pilot facilitated by Lavrion Technological and Cultural Park (AMDC). The results presented during the session were delivered by Isabella Bianco (Politecnico di Torino), showcasing the application of the framework using the Lavrion pilot as an example.
Standardisation: integration of system components and identification of gaps
Standardisation within Mine.io was addressed through a structured process combining mapping, integration, and contribution activities.
An initial analysis conducted across project partners identified relevant standards and their relation to system components, enabling the alignment of platform functionalities with existing frameworks.
The project implemented and combined multiple standards, including:
- ISO 10303 (STEP) for structured representation and exchange of engineering and sensor data, enabling lifecycle data management and interoperability between system components,
- BPMN 2.0 for modelling and automation of workflows, supporting process orchestration and integration with blockchain-based mechanisms,
- ISO 17359 and related approaches for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance,
- MQTT, HTTP, and IEEE 802.11 for communication and IoT data exchange across distributed systems.
The integration of these standards demonstrated that:
- interoperability requires combining multiple standards, rather than relying on a single framework,
- data flows from sensing to decision-making can be standardised, enabling consistent system behaviour across different locations,
- workflow automation and predictive maintenance can be formally described and executed using standardised models (e.g. BPMN).
In addition to applying existing standards, Mine.io contributed to standardisation processes through partner involvement in standard bodies and industry initiatives.
A key result was the identification of a lack of existing standards in muography-based applications, which are increasingly relevant for subsurface analysis. This led to:
- recognition of muography as a domain requiring standardisation,
- initiation of discussions in the scientific and technical community,
- preparation for further standardisation activities beyond the project.
Further, in standardisation efforts related to wireless power transfer and charging while driving for heavy-duty vehicles, Mine.io partner ENRX has been actively contributing to shaping the SAE J2954 standard through participation in the relevant standardisation committee.
Watch the full presentation from this part of the Final Event session:
This shows that standardisation in Mine.io was not limited to compliance, but actively supported integration while also identifying concrete gaps in current standard frameworks.
Watch the Session & Explore Materials
If you were not present at our final event, you can watch the full recording of the Standardisation session here:
🎥 Final Event Recap: Session 6 | Scaling Digital Mining – Standardisation perspectivehttps://youtu.be/JZ52k7F6EYs?si=SdLhm2T4fzOMuj66
The standardisation activities were coordinated by Jotne, based on inputs and use cases provided by the consortium partners. The results presented during the session were delivered by Pål Huse (Jotne). Jotne also represented the consortium in a number of standardisation-related working groups and discussions, contributing to the positioning of project results within broader standardisation activities.
Market uptake and exploitation: consolidation and deployment pathways
To enable the transition from project results to real-world applications, Mine.io implemented a structured exploitation strategy linking technological outputs with market requirements.
A total of more than 25 technologies were analysed and consolidated into six Key Exploitable Results (KERs). This consolidation enabled the transition from individual components to coherent solution packages, each associated with:
- defined application domains,
- identified user groups,
- and specific deployment models.
The KERs cover areas such as:
- AI‑based geophysical exploration,
- environmental monitoring systems,
- autonomous and electrified mining operations,
- digital twin and lifecycle management,
- workflow automation and data integration.
For each KER, the following elements were analysed:
- target customers (mining operators, research institutions, public authorities, technology providers),
- cost structures (infrastructure, personnel, integration),
- revenue models (direct sales, licensing, services, consulting),
- regulatory conditions and compliance requirements,
- market barriers and competitive landscape.
The analysis showed that:
- 76% of the technologies target emerging market segments, indicating strong relevance to current industry needs,
- different business models are required depending on maturity, with mature solutions moving towards productisation, while others remain service- or research-driven,
- integration complexity and initial investment costs are key barriers, particularly for large-scale deployment,
- pilot-based validation and available datasets significantly reduce adoption risk, acting as the main enablers for uptake.
Additionally, partner surveys indicated that:
- more than half of the partners plan direct exploitation activities,
- deployment timelines typically point to a range from short-term (0–2 years) to medium-term (2–5 years),
- joint exploitation models indicate the need for further alignment and coordination, particularly in cases involving shared ownership of solutions.
Watch the full presentation from this part of the Final Event session:
This approach allows for the identification of the most promising solutions and the definition of realistic pathways for their further development and deployment.
The exploitation and market analysis activities were led by ACCELIGENCE LTD (ACC), drawing on structured input collected from across the consortium. The results presented during the session were delivered by Aristotelis Zompras (ACC), outlining the consolidation of Key Exploitable Results and the defined pathways for further development and market uptake.
Integrated perspective: linking people, systems and markets
The results from the session show that the transition from digital innovation to real-world deployment in mining requires the integration of three dimensions:
- social dimension, ensuring that technological changes improve working conditions and are accepted by stakeholders,
- technical dimension, where standardisation enables interoperability and system integration,
- market dimension, defining how solutions are packaged, delivered, and adopted.
By combining these elements, Mine.io moved from isolated technological developments towards validated, structured and deployable solutions, supported by both technical evidence and market-oriented planning.
By combining these elements, the Mine.io project moved from isolated technological developments towards validated, structured and deployment‑oriented solutions, supported by both pilot tests and market‑oriented planning.
