MINE.IO at GeoEarth-2025: Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Mining
On September 29–30, 2025, Berlin hosted the sixth edition of the World Congress on Geology & Earth Science – GeoEarth-2025, one of the leading global events dedicated to geology and Earth sciences. The hybrid-format conference gathered over 100 participants, including researchers, industry experts, and representatives of international research projects.
Conference Themes
The scientific program covered a wide range of topics: geophysics, geochemistry, oceanography, geotechnical engineering, climatology, sustainability, planetary geology, seismology, and the application of new technologies in Earth sciences. A strong emphasis was placed on innovation, environmental protection, resource efficiency, and digital transformation.
Mine.io and Łukasiewicz – ITR Participation
One of the key sessions, Technical Session II, focused on environmental geosciences, climatology, geophysics, and geochemistry. It was co-chaired by Prof. Jacek Galas, PhD Eng., representing Łukasiewicz – Tele and Radio Research Institute (ŁITR), a partner in the Mine.io project.
Prof. Jacek Galas delivered a presentation titled “Process monitoring and operational control in the flotation process supported by AI methods”, showcasing advanced solutions developed within the Mine.io – A Holistic Digital Mine 4.0 Ecosystem project, funded under the HORIZON-CL4-2022-RESILIENCE-01 call. Work on this topic is being carried out by Polish partners of the Mine.io project, namely Łukasiewicz ITR, Łukasiewicz AI, KGHM and AGH.
Mine.io – Digital Transformation of Mining
Mine.io aims to build a comprehensive digital ecosystem for the mining industry, supporting sustainable resource management, efficient mineral processing, and waste reduction. The project consortium includes 25 leading research and industrial partners.
Prof. Jacek Galas’s presentation focused on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) methods in monitoring and controlling the flotation process – a key stage in copper ore beneficiation. As part of the Mine.io project, Łukasiewicz ITR, together with partners (KGHM, AGH, and Łukasiewicz AI), is developing the PIT (Photonic-IT) system, which enables:
- real-time analysis of froth images in flotation cells,
- automatic adjustment of process parameters (e.g., pulp level, reagent dosage, air flow),
- prediction of concentrate quality,
- reduction of raw material and energy consumption,
- process stabilization and improved recovery efficiency.
The system uses advanced algorithms (LDA/ANN), image analysis and environmental data to create a digital model of the flotation process that supports operators in decision-making and production optimisation. We wrote more about this innovative solution in the article “AI-Powered Flotation Optimization with a Polish Pilot at KGHM”.
The presentation from the event is available for viewing below:
Significance of GeoEarth-2025 Participation
ŁITR’s presence at GeoEarth-2025 highlights the growing role of Polish research institutes in international efforts to transform the mining sector. Prof. Jacek Galas’s presentation attracted significant interest and aligned with the global trend of integrating AI into geosciences and resource industries.
We have also posted a short video on our YouTube channel from the exhibition event presenting the PIT system in the ŁITR laboratory, as well as reports on research, implementation, and testing work at a real industrial facility at KGHM.
