How digital innovation is helping mining companies balance resource demand with environmental and social responsibility.
The mining industry is at a defining moment. Facing rising global demand for critical minerals and mounting pressure to meet ambitious sustainability goals, mining companies are being called to do more, with less environmental and social impact. To support this transformation, Dassault Systèmes is helping mining leaders reimagine the future of mining with cutting-edge digital solutions that drive operational excellence, reduce risk, and advance sustainability.
The Challenges of Sustainable Mining
Mining has long been a driver of global economic growth. But today, the industry must balance resource extraction with environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and long-term resilience. As the demand for minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements surges, critical for green technologies, so do expectations from regulators, communities, and investors for greater transparency and sustainable practices.
The global shift to low-carbon, material-intensive energy systems is reshaping extractive industries. According to World Bank estimates, demand for key minerals could increase by up to 500% to support renewable energy technologies. Yet, mining operations still contribute 4–7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The imperative is clear: mining companies must scale production while minimizing their environmental footprint.
Decarbonization: A Responsibility and an Opportunity
Achieving net-zero goals requires mining operations to decarbonize while boosting productivity. This challenge also presents an opportunity: digital technologies are enabling smarter, cleaner, and more agile operations. Leading companies are turning to electrification, renewables, and data-driven platforms to improve performance and future-proof their operations, all while aligning with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria.
Enabling the Sustainable Mine of the Future
Dassault Systèmes supports mining organizations on their digital transformation journey through a unified approach: connecting data, people, and processes via the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. This collaborative digital environment enables a full-spectrum transformation across the mining value chain—from exploration to rehabilitation.
Key capabilities include:
Unified Common Data Environment
Powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform
- Centralizes and validates data across all business processes
- Enhances collaboration, execution, and innovation
- Ensures timely access to actionable insights for decision-makers
Geoscience Informatics
AI-driven, data-scientific analysis for informed exploration
- Transforms and automates the lifecycle of field and lab data
- Simulates physical properties at micro and macro scale
- Enables predictive workflows and optimization models
Mineral Definition & Extraction
Subsurface modeling and scenario planning
- Builds high-fidelity geological models from complex datasets
- Simulates multiple economic outcomes for strategic planning
- Enhances mine design, feasibility, and production insights
Mine Scheduling & Optimization
Bridging tactical planning and real-time operations
- Synchronizes material flow from mine to port
- Improves confidence in stockpile management and logistics
- Tracks assets and resources in real-time for performance optimization
Green License to Operate
Earth resources and land use management
- Aligns land, water, waste, and mineral strategies with sustainability goals
- Supports KPI monitoring and continuous performance improvement
Sustainable Operations with Virtual Twin Governance
Real-world insight, real-time adaptability
- Connects simulations with actual operations
- Supports risk management and lifecycle decision-making
- Enables operational foresight through accessible digital data
The Art of the Possible
At Dassault Systèmes, sustainable innovation means harmonizing product, nature, and life. Through collaborative partnerships and virtual twin experiences, we’re not just imagining the sustainable mine of the future—we’re building it. Today.
We are proud to support a majority of the world’s top mining companies with transformative digital solutions that mitigate risk, minimize environmental impact, and maximize operational efficiency.