As we will hear from the voices in this month's edition, this is also not only an achievable vision for all mining companies big and small - but also a necessary transition.

This is because the autonomous mine and plant of the future will generate efficiencies that will be better for the planet. The cost savings will keep mining a viable industry in the face of rising competition and scrutiny.

However, when designing and integrating these marvels of modern machinery, companies will need to approach the process with very human values.

Transparency, trust and communication have helped create in mining operations the modern and competitive processes that we see today - and those same ethics must be used in automation.

Whether it is an automated rig, haul truck or a piece of plant machinery, it must be remembered that our innovative machines are the sum of human experience, not a detachment from it.

On that note, it is excellent to hear FLSmidth's Chief Digital Officer Mikko Tepponen speak on the importance of ensuring that AI in automation doesn't become a 'black-box', making decisions we must accept unflinchingly.

His metaphor of pilots landing planes is a powerful one for the incremental but all-consuming automation process we face - "first the machines were used for the simplest of tasks, now humans only perform the landing when the weather isn't nasty".

The autonomous mine and plant of the future will generate efficiencies that will be better for the planet

The fact that automation has accelerated in troubling times, such as those seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, illustrates powerfully how humanity can benefit from its relationships with machines.

Many mining companies have needed to eliminate or reduce the face-to-face contact traditionally required for the transfer of information to and from the field and office.

As Dyno Nobel notes, the benefits of automation to mining companies and workers often overlap, as the ability to remove employees from potentially dangerous situations or eliminate possible sources of error should be a paramount goal of any responsible mine operator.

As Rockwell Automation also states, when AI analytics are incorporated into the system, downtime can be virtually omitted from the process - because machines such as conveyors can actually "self-detect" potential malfunctions. Bottlenecks can be located, diagnosed, and remedied ahead of time, avoiding even short-term setbacks.

The possibilities of automation are almost endless, but the challenge inherent in automating an entire industry built on bravery, sweat and more simple human innovation, will require a shift in mindset as well as major technological advances.

The industry has seen during the pandemic a glimpse of what automation can achieve, it is now time to take a further digital leap of faith and see what it can really accomplish.