iGATE Patni, Rio Tinto to build next-gen mining tech

MUMBAI, INDIA: India's IT firm iGate Patni India and Rio Tinto,UK-based mining group, today announced a joint partnership to focus on developing next generation technology for the mining sector and to drive Rio Tinto's 'Mine of the Future' program.

Under the parternship, Rio Tinto will leverage iGATE Patni’s technical capabilities to accelerate technologies globally in the mining industry. Rio Tinto expects to spend approximately $60 million - $80 million over the next five years proportional to the outcomes delivered out of this partnership.

iGATE Patni will provide engineering research and development services, including industrial automation and control, software and embedded design and development to Rio Tinto to facilitate the 'Mine of the Future' program.

“We are truly delighted that Rio Tinto has chosen iGATE Patni as its exclusive partner for this landmark innovation engagement. I am particularly pleased that our capabilities in Product Engineering Services (PES) have gained increased acceptance among global companies to bring about innovation in their business and this partnership is an important step in our journey to deliver high-impact business outcomes,” Phaneesh Murthy, iGATE Patni's CEO, said.

“With Rio Tinto and iGATE Patni having invested close to $3 million in the infrastructure for the RTIC, we are geared to partnering with Rio Tinto in achieving its vision of providing unprecedented automation in mining,” Murthy added.

The engagement with iGATE Patni will enable Rio Tinto to deliver greater operational efficiency, improved health, safety and environmental performance in the mining industry. It will focus on improvements to mining processes that include unprecedented levels in automation and remote operations.

Rio Tinto Innovation Centre (RTIC) was inaugurated at iGATE Patni’s facility in Pune today. The center will have about 300 skilled engineers focusing on disciplines such as image processing, advanced data mining and analytics, automation and control systems, human factors design and logistics. Both companies have jointly invested $3m into the Pune center.

RTIC will build on the work of Rio Tinto’s established Centers of Excellence in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom to deliver the technologies they have developed for Rio Tinto operations across the globe.

“Launching this centre with iGATE Patni marks an important step in the rollout of our Mine of the Future program and will help create business value in the mining industry. This is ‘technical capability in-sourcing’ through partnership and will enable us to move our innovations from concept stage to reality more efficiently through the work of a dedicated team of specialised engineers. iGATE Patni’s credentials and business capability fits our need for a strong outcomes-driven innovation partner,” John McGagh, Rio Tinto's head of Innovation, said.

“RTIC will allow us to take a specific technology developed at our Centres of Excellence, such as the mine automation system currently in use at our Pilbara iron ore operations in Western Australia, and adapt it for broader application across our network of mines,” he added.