Eduardo Coloma, CEO of mining software, hardware and services provider Maptek, spoke to CEEC’s Communications Lead Ailbhe Goodbody for the latest instalment of CEEC’s Spotlight Leader Conversations, a series of video interviews with leading people in the mineral processing industry.
Eduardo Coloma has worked for Maptek for over 20 years, and has knowledge and experience in optimisation, mine design and scheduling especially for open pit metalliferous deposits.
In the interview, he stated that technology will play a big role in making mining more sustainable and more efficient. “This is one of the key enablers to contribute towards achieving net zero targets,” he said. “Technology providers like Maptek play an important role in transforming data into knowledge, and this information is a key tool for decision making. That makes mining more efficient, but also more productive, more sustainable and safer.”
He also pointed out the importance of collaboration. “Collaboration is essential for the future success of the resource sector,” he explained. “Industry, government, academia and community need to work together to ensure future success.”
This includes improving community trust in the resource sector, finding new ways to mine in a more environmentally friendly way, to find ways to use the resources that we are mining in a more efficient way, and to improve safety.
Coloma also discussed why inclusion and diversity are important in the mining industry. Maptek sponsors the Technological Innovation Award at the Women in Resources National Awards (WIRNA), a category that the company instigated in 2020.
“We wanted to celebrate the achievement of women at the forefront of the cutting edge technological solutions that actually solve daily mining challenges,” he said. “One of our guiding principles is ‘Create Tomorrow’, and these awards help to celebrate the success of individuals who push the envelope and who will help to futureproof our industry.”
CEEC has previously published video interviews with FLSmidth, Molycop, Eriez, Thermo Fisher Scientific, ME Elecmetal and Magotteaux as part of the Spotlight Leader Conversations series.