Leveraging Digital Infrastructure for Mining Community Resilience

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction 8
• 2.0 Digitalization: Key trends driving change 10
• 2.1 Digital and Data Infrastructure: Definition and scope 10
• 2.2 The Digital Landscape: Global trends 11
• 3.0 Digital Adoption in the Mining Industry 14
• 3.1 The Importance of Skills 15
• 3.2 The Importance of Data Protection and Cyber Security 17
• 3.3 Expanding Socio-economic Benefits Beyond the Mining Sector 18
• 4.0 Integrating Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity in Policy-making 19
• 4.1 Considering the Geographic Context 19
• 4.2 Assessing the State of Digital Infrastructure 20
• 4.3 Bridging the Missing Links 21
• 5.0 Critical Success Factors and Challenges to Be Addressed 27
• 5.1 Unlocking Business Opportunities 27
• 5.2 Providing Access to Devices and Digital Equipment 28
• 5.3 Ensuring Sustainability Over Time 28
• 5.4 Empowering Communities Through Early (Digital) Consultation 29
• 5.5 Digital Technologies in Support of Gender Equality 30
• 6.0 Policy Recommendations to Enhance the Sharing of Digital Technologies 31
• 6.1 Scaling Up Local Initiatives: The importance of policy coherence with national policies 31
• 6.2 Strengthening Regulatory Frameworks 33
• 6.3 Leveraging Local Content Policies to Foster Investment in and Sharing of Digital Technologies and Connectivity 36
• 6.4 Digital Literacy, Skills Development, and Training 38
• 6.5 Digital Inclusion in Support of Gender Equality 39
• 6.6 Planning for Mine Closure and Post-Mining Transition 40
• 6.7 Strengthening Partnerships 40
• 7.0 Conclusion 44
• References 46
• Figure 1. Core functions provided by digital and data infrastructure 10
• Figure 2. Global Internet penetration by region, Jan. 2024 12
• Figure 3. Applying a digital approach to a mining operation 15
• Figure 4. Fastest growing vs. fastest declining jobs (anticipated between 2023 and 2027) 16
• Figure 5. Bridging the coverage and usage gaps, 2021 22
• Figure 6. Internet use gender parity score (2023) 23
• Table 1. Types of skills and expected requirements 38
• Box 1. Senegal: Digital strategy in support of economic activities 18
• Box 2. Brazil and africa 20
• Box 3. Ecuador and Lesotho 21
• Box 4. Senegal 27
• Box 5. South Africa 28
• Box 6. Example of a digital engagement platform in Peru 29
• Box 7. South Africa: Leveraging technology for gender equality and community resilience 30
• Box 8. An example from Colombia 32
• Box 9. South Africa 33
• Box 10. A tale of caution—the opportunity cost of prohibitive policies 34
• Box 11. International legal framework and tools 35
• Box 12. Peru 35
• Box 13. Western Cape province of South Africa 41
• Box 14. DRC 43