Why aftermarket services and support are critical value drivers of autonomous mining

As underground mines embrace automation, aftermarket services, including operator training and maintenance, are proving essential to unlocking productivity, safety and long-term return on investment. Sandvik Mining is helping customers achieve these outcomes through scalable lifecycle support solutions tailored to the demands of autonomous operations.

Underground mining operations powered by autonomous loaders, trucks and drill rigs are delivering tangible benefits, including safer environments, more predictable work cycles and enhanced productivity, at mines across the globe.

However, as many early adopters have quickly discovered, realizing the full value of autonomous mining technologies and systems requires more than basic commissioning and operator training. Achieving the transformational advantages that automation holds demands a sustained ecosystem of support, training and services to maintain and amplify its value across the life-of-mine (LOM).

As Niel McCoy, Director - Global Aftermarket Automation at Sandvik Mining, explains: “Automated systems operate based on predefined rules. If something isn’t working as programmed – for instance, if a sensor hasn’t been maintained properly – the machine won’t function as it should. Operational practices and maintenance systems must be in top shape, otherwise utilization and availability suffer.”

This insight shines a spotlight on a broader truth: autonomous mining is most likely to succeed when coupled with comprehensive support systems that span technology, people and processes.

Beyond commissioning: where value is won or lost

McCoy explains that while the mining industry has historically been good at installing and commissioning mechanical equipment, with autonomous systems, the main challenge often comes afterward.

“The mining industry excels at developing new technologies and getting them up and running. At the same time, it’s usually down to the mines to ensure their assets are utilized effectively on an ongoing basis and deliver the full value promised in the business case,” says McCoy. “With automation, that can sometimes present challenges.”

Many mines lack the understanding, skills or capabilities to uphold the health and performance of autonomous systems, leaving significant potential untapped. Sandvik’s AutoMine® Lifecycle Support Solutions, launched in June 2024, were designed to address this gap. Built to serve both new and existing AutoMine ® customers, the program offers scalable aftermarket services that directly address the need for sustained support and optimization.

The program is structured around three pillars: automation, competence and operations. From this foundation, a suite of services is offered to provide mines with the tools and expertise needed to maximize their return on investment (ROI) while reducing downtime and building operator capability.

The service combines a 24/7 ticketing portal, standardized service-level key performance indicators (KPIs), expert support delivered both remotely and on-site, proactive software deployment and annual performance reviews. These reviews provide an opportunity to systematically optimize system usage and align it with broader operational goals. By embedding digital mining advisory services and spare parts planning into the package, Sandvik ensures that mines are not simply reacting to problems but actively preventing them.

McCoy explains: “We’ve developed this service to support customers in maximizing the benefits of their automation investments through training, online troubleshooting resources and leveraging our global support network. This solution also provides customers with the tools to plan ahead for their AutoMine ® spare parts, helping them prevent downtime and get production up and running as quickly as possible.”

Change management: re-engineering how mines work

Adopting autonomous systems transforms workflows in ways that extend far beyond the control room. Simple practices, such as how equipment is refueled or used between shifts, must often be redesigned. With automation, a process that might once have been flexible could become critical to an automated workflow.

McCoy notes that this change is often underestimated. “Every time mines introduce a new technology, it affects their way of working,” he explains. “Change management is absolutely essential. If mines don’t plan for that upfront and continue managing it, the technology won’t deliver.”

Without deliberate change management, even technically flawless systems can fail to achieve full acceptance, and the potential benefits remain unrealized. This is why lifecycle services are so important: they don’t only provide technical fixes, but also help mines to reshape their processes, embed new practices and gradually evolve into fully autonomous operations.

Why autonomy projects stall?

Independent studies show that the greatest hurdles to autonomy are not purely technical, but organizational too. A 2021 research project by Sager D., interviewing senior mining stakeholders found that many automation initiatives stall after the pilot phase due to poor change management and low operational readiness. Similarly, the Global Mining Guidelines Group highlights that autonomy disrupts job roles and organizational structures; without reskilling and workforce transition plans, adoption falters. These findings underscore the critical importance of training, support, and lifecycle services to bridge the gap between commissioning and long-term value creation.

Training: building competence that sticks

If technology is the enabler of automation, people remain the ultimate success factor. The mining industry is facing persistent challenges with skills shortages and workforce turnover – challenges that can quickly undermine investments in autonomy. Without continuous competence development, systems risk being underutilized or, eventually, decommissioned.

McCoy is clear about the stakes: “Training can’t be an afterthought. If a mine is investing in proper change management, the first batch of operators becomes change champions for others. Without that buy-in, adoption is hard.”

He adds that, training isn’t just about instilling new skills, like data management and interpretation, but also empowering existing people to utilize the tools that they have available. For example, it´s important that shift managers are equipped to read and interpret dashboards effectively, and respond to operator feedback in real time.

“With automation, there's also things like networking to consider and advanced fault finding in software systems, not just the mechanical aspects of equipment,” says McCoy.

Sandvik has structured its competence development approaches to address these issues. The program integrates e-learning to establish baseline understanding, simulators and virtual reality (VR) tools to give operators and technicians safe, repeatable practices, and on-the-job coaching reinforced with classroom instruction for advanced skills. Remote connectivity further expands the reach of training, making it possible to deliver instruction without the logistical costs associated with sending trainers to remote mine sites.

Importantly, training is not a one-off event but a continuous cycle. Ongoing gap analysis and certification ensure that skills evolve in step with technology upgrades and operational demands. In this way, training becomes not just about competence development but about resilience, enabling mines to withstand turnover, redeployment and the inevitable shifts in workforce composition over time.

Lifecycle services as adaptive partnerships

Autonomous mining is not a static pursuit. As orebodies are developed, mine layouts change and technology advances, support requirements shift as well. For instance, in the early stages of autonomous systems deployment, mines may need intensive handholding; while years later, once autonomy is embedded into their daily operations, support may focus on performance reviews and incremental system optimization.

McCoy emphasizes the need for adaptability. “There’s no one fixed recipe… support must be flexible and adaptable,” he says. “Customers appreciate that we can tailor solutions to their needs today and adjust them tomorrow if circumstances change.”

This adaptive philosophy underpins the AutoMine® Lifecycle Support Solutions. Mines can choose from remote support, on-site expertise or blended models, with the intensity of engagement flexing as operations mature. The program is designed not as a rigid contract but as an evolving partnership, one that moves in step with operational challenges and long-term strategies.

Global context: different needs, same principles

Around the world, demand for aftermarket services varies widely. For example, McCoy said that in Australia, many contract-driven operations prefer a remote-first model, calling on OEM specialists only when needed.

“In contrast, in South America, embedded support models are more common, with mines, such as Codelco’s El Teniente, opting for 24/7 on-site lifecycle services integrated into their automation roadmaps,” he adds. “Elsewhere, hybrid approaches—where remote diagnostics are coupled with periodic field visits—deliver cost-effective yet reliable coverage.”

Despite the differences in geography and operating philosophy, the underlying principle is the same: aftermarket services must be tailored to the unique requirements of each mine, while maintaining the global standards and expertise that ensure system performance.

Looking ahead: AI-enhanced support and knowledge capture

Like many parts of the mining value chain, the future of aftermarket services will be shaped by artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced data management. Sandvik is already investing in these areas, recognizing that capturing and scaling expertise is essential in a world where skills are increasingly scarce and systems more complex.

“Our focus over the next 18 months is on using AI to augment support,” McCoy explains. “We want to capture ‘tribal knowledge’ from our specialists and make it available globally.”

For example, by recording and codifying the intuitive steps and practical insights that maintenance experts apply in the field, AI can make this expertise universally available. This would allow a technician working on a remote site to access the same depth of knowledge as a specialist in a global center of excellence. The implications can be significant: faster troubleshooting, smarter training, and more consistent performance across sites.

Why now? The strategic imperative

In its most sophisticated expression, autonomous mining is not simply a technological evolution, but a comprehensive transformation that redefines how mines are designed, operated and maintained. Its success depends as much upon the systems of aftermarket support, training, and lifecycle management that surround the technology as it does on the machines themselves.

Sandvik’s AutoMine® Lifecycle Support Solutions embody this understanding. By binding technology with competence development and operations, and by offering scalable services that evolve with the mine, they ensure that automation investments deliver sustainable value.

McCoy captures the imperative concisely: “To succeed with automation, mines need two things: the right competence and skills to support the system, and the right operational procedures and processes in place. Without those, the chances of success are limited.”

For mining companies, this is no longer a secondary consideration. Aftermarket excellence is the foundation on which the future of autonomous mining will be built.

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