Digital Bites Through Researchers Present "Intelligent" AI Drilling Device for Mining

The project is called "Mine.IO" and aims to bring mining into the digitized future. Researchers from all over Europe, from Finland to Greece, are working together for this ...

After intensive preparatory work as part of the "Mine.IO" project, the practical trials at the pilot facility in the Reiche Zeche have now begun. Until the project ends in June 2026, researchers are working on the digitization of the exploratory drilling system, which is already feeding artificial intelligence (AI) with data, according to further information. A visit to the pilot facility (472 feet underground) in the Reiche Zeche, the research and teaching mine of TU Bergakademie Freiberg (Germany), paints the following picture: spotlights illuminate the orange-brown walls, puddles collect on the ground, and cable conduits run along the ceiling. The project team wears helmets, rubber boots, and overalls. It actually looks typical, but this is about Mining 4.0, which in the future will be digitized and function in some areas without human involvement.

AI Automatically Creates An Image of the Geological Composition

That's why there is also a special test setup consisting of a screen and the exploratory drilling equipment—the latter being state-of-the-art mining technology. "The aim of our project is to digitize this drilling equipment, support the drill operator working underground, increase efficiency, and monitor the entire drilling process," explains Max Friedemann, one of the project team members. The data is then compiled in a so-called digital infrastructure to be evaluated above ground. The data is transmitted in real-time, utilizing a proprietary underground fiber optic network. The information is stored in a cloud. The key innovation is the communication between the drilling equipment and artificial intelligence. For this purpose, the drilling equipment is equipped with various sensors. Through the research, older machines of any age can be integrated into the digital world. Friedemann states: "We know exactly where our drill bit is located in the hole at any time. We measure the rotation speed, hydraulic pressures, and the device's vibration and oscillation." Sometimes the drill works through ore, then through gneiss, a layer of different minerals formed by heat and pressure. The AI analyzes the collected data and maps the geology of the drill hole during the drilling process.

A Second AI Continuously Checks the Condition of the Drill Head

The critical point of the exploratory drill, according to Friedemann, is the drill head. It carries a diamond crown, which helps the drill rod break through the layers. "We have approximately one millimeter of wear on the diamond-tipped drill bit per ten meters of hole," the expert specifies. Each drill bit, therefore, lasts between 197 and 328 feet before it needs to be replaced. This is where a second AI comes into play. This AI uses algorithms, which are known to operate on an AI basis, to calculate how much longer the drill bit can be used or when it should be replaced at the latest to work cost-efficiently—and ultimately sustainably. At this point, the AI algorithms are being developed, trained, and tested with the data already collected. The first two drill holes are fully completed, and the data from them has been processed. In the remaining project months, at least three more holes will be drilled, during which the real-time data feedback from the project partners directly to the drilling site will be tested, according to the concluding statement.

Future-Proof Authentication with Universal RFID Readers

Universal RFID Readers: One Solution for All Credentials