Exploring Technology Adoption in Canada’s Mineral Mining Sector: Navigating Through an Interplay of Factors
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Date
2023-10-05
Authors
Crabbe, Mackenzie
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Waterloo
Abstract
The mining sector is currently experiencing a period of disruption where technological
innovations such as electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and drones are transforming how
the industry operates. Little is known, however, about the factors that drive, enable, and
impede technology adoption in the mining sector, particularly in the context of Canada. To
address this gap, this research explores the drivers, enablers, and barriers to technology
adoption in Canada's mineral mining sector through an online survey, structured by the
technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, with insights from similar research
in the context of Australia. The findings of this research suggest that the top three
technologies being adopted by mining companies in Canada are battery electric vehicles
(BEV's), sensors, and autonomous equipment. In the Canadian context, the technology
adoption process for mining companies is influenced by a complex interplay of factors
determined by the three commonly cited dimensions of sustainability (economic, social,
environmental). While economic considerations, such as productivity and efficiency, to
reduce operating costs and competitive pressures underpin technology adoption decisions,
mining companies are also motivated to adopt technologies by social factors such as
improvements to health and safety for workers, and environmental factors such as to reduce
diesel emissions. Economic factors, such as costs of the technology, implementation costs,
limited internal capital, and the capital intensive nature of the sector, underpin the barriers to
technology adoption for mining companies with operations in Canada. This research
concludes with suggestions for future research, and key theoretical contributions.
Description
Keywords
technology adoption, mining sector, drivers, enablers, barriers, organizations, sustainability