BCG: Rio Tinto and Vale in Top 50 most Innovative Companies

By Daniel Brightmore
Rio Tinto & Vale has made it onto BCG: Boston Consulting Group’s list of the world’s 50 most innovative companies for its use of Mining Technologies...

Rio Tinto & Vale have made it onto Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG) 2020 list of the world’s 50 most innovative companies for its use of AI. 

Both Rio Tinto (ranked 49th) and Vale (placed 19th) joined the list for the first time this year. 

Announcing this year’s top 50 BCG stated: “The companies on BCG’s most innovative list for 2019 extensively use AI and platforms. Alphabet/Google, which unseats Apple at number one after a 13-year reign, is an “AI-first” company, according to its CEO. It has long embraced both platforms (think Android) and ecosystems (consider how Alphabet has worked with others to develop Waymo, its autonomous driving venture).  

“Next in line is Amazon, which, besides using AI in its retail business, has pioneered voice recognition technology (Alexa) and platform-based services (Amazon Web Services). Apple, at number three, helped pioneer voice recognition software (Siri) and provided a premier virtual workplace for app developers with its iOS platform. Fourth-place Microsoft has also evolved from a software company into a provider of AI and platform-based services.” 

Rio Tinto has spent more than $3bn constructing one of the world’s most technologically advanced mines in the Pilbara, Western Australia. 

The Koodaideri iron ore project will integrate extensive automation and digitalisation technologies. Rio Tinto chief executive J-S Jacques commented: “Koodaideri is a game-changer for Rio Tinto. It will be the most technologically advanced mine we have ever built and sets a new benchmark for the industry in terms of the adoption of automation and the use of data to enhance safety and productivity.” 


Related stories: 

Rio Tinto world-first autonomous trains network now fully operational 

Rio Tinto reveals solid fourth-quarter results - iron ore production rises, copper output ramps 

Rio Tinto delivers $1.9bn Amrun bauxite project ahead of schedule 

Read the latest issue of Mining Global here

Rio Tinto’s $940m AutoHaul programme is focused on automating trains transporting iron ore to the company’s port facilities in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The network is the world’s first heavy-haul, long-distance autonomous rail operation. Rio Tinto operates about 200 locomotives on more than 1,700km of track in the Pilbara, transporting ore from 16 mines to four port terminals.

The 13th annual global innovation survey from BCG highlights that AI use is expanding with many companies relying on more platforms and cousin ecosystems to support their innovation efforts.

Nine out of 10 respondents in the survey said their companies were investing in AI. More than 30 per cent expect AI to have “the greatest impact of any innovation area on their industry” in the next three to five years.
 

Share

Featured Articles

Laws Thwart US Bid to Match China on Lithium Mining

US bid to increase domestic production of lithium in order to reduce reliance on Chinese supplies of critical mineral frustrated by 'confusing' state laws

Bain: 'Inflation Dampening Mining Leaders' Net Zero Hopes'

Bain & Company’s annual Energy & Natural Resource Executive Survey shows 62% of energy execs say high costs mean net zero goals won't be met by 2060

Focus on: Lithium – ‘White Gold’ Driving the EV Revolution

Because of the move to electric vehicles, the metal lithium is rapidly becoming a vitally important part of world’s bid to move away from fossil fuels

Aluminium Industry Calls for new North America Body

Supply Chain & Operations

Data-Driven ABB Smart Hoisting Solution 'is Safety Boon'

Digital Mining

Deep Sea EV Metals Mining Firm in Greenpeace Clash

Sustainability