"You spend so much of your life at work; it should be meaningful, something that contributes to society," says Mark Schaeffer, vice president for strategy at Komatsu Mining Technology Solutions in Tucson.

He thinks he's found his sweet spot in an industry oft-dismissed by the idealistic: mining. "There's no getting around it—mining contributes to society in a big way," he says.

What many don't realize, says Schaeffer, is everything that makes modern life possible relies on just two foundational industries: agriculture and mining. "Without them, we'd still be living as small hunter-gatherer groups. Most of us wouldn't choose that life," he says, "but we often choose to ignore where our conveniences come from."

He doesn't mince words describing the real environmental and social challenges mining presents. Mining can leave a large ecological footprint—there are issues with water, chemicals, and land disruption, among others, he says. "The thing is, these are solvable problems that we must solve because we need minerals."

He also insists on increased collaboration across companies and sectors. Komatsu is ahead of the curve, he says. "We collaborate with customers and even competitors to find better solutions. Our technology is vendor-agnostic—we'll interface with yellow and orange trucks or anyone else's to make systems more efficient."

Game-changing collaborations have already happened in the desert Southwest, says Schaeffer. He calls Tucson "a U.S. hub for mining technology," with the presence of heavyweights Komatsu, Caterpillar, Freeport, BHP, and others, as well as the University of Arizona and numerous industries ancillary to mining. "Once you get enough people in the same area, it creates its own ecosystem of innovation."

Schaeffer credits the University of Arizona with greatly enriching the mining innovation ecosystem when, in the late 1970s, university researchers developed ideas to use computer programming to improve the coordination and maneuvering of haul trucks in mines. In a large mine, more than 100 trucks can operate simultaneously. Modular Mining was founded by James White, an associate professor of chemical engineering at Arizona, along with a small team that included Juan (John) Reza and Mark Baker in 1979. 

Modular Mining developed the world's first computerized fleet management system, called DISPATCH®, which used real-time data to optimize truck assignments, reduce idle time, and increase productivity. This was a revolutionary advancement in mining operations and set the foundation for the modern mine management systems in use today. Komatsu acquired the company in 1996 as part of developing autonomous haul trucks.

"Fleet management for the entire mining world started in Tucson," says Schaeffer.

"Fleet management for the entire mining world started in Tucson," says Schaeffer. "A few years later, a group here, together with a group in Japan, created the first autonomous trucks. By 2008, Komatsu had autonomous trucks running 24/7."

Schaeffer wants Tucson to be recognized as a global center for mining innovation. "If everyone steps up our game, we're positioned to join Brisbane, Australia, and Santiago, Chile, as a globally admired incubator for startups," he says. Komatsu now runs a program to help small companies access data they need to build and test new mining products.

Schaeffer names four areas he thinks are both promising and critical to the mining industry today:

• Increased automation. "We've had autonomous trucks for over 15 years," he says. "Now we're expanding to smaller vehicles and more functions. Autonomous systems can't match the best human operators yet, but they're as good as 80% of our operators. And they deliver consistent, 24/7 performance, improving productivity over time."
• Modernizing extraction. While electric and mechanical methods have improved the mining of soft materials like coal and salt, companies still rely on drill-and-blast techniques for copper, silver, gold, and other hard metals. Companies are working on mechanical alternatives Schaeffer believes could revolutionize underground mining by mid-century.
• Cleaner Ore processing. Sometimes only 1–3% of the rock mined is usable material, and current methods can be harsh on the environment. Though Komatsu doesn't work in ore processing, he imagines it is "a major area ripe for innovation."
• Workforce development. Schaeffer then says no challenge is greater than attracting the best and brightest. The future of mining in the U.S., he says, depends on making big strides in workforce development.

Schaeffer says young people who choose a career in mining will be rewarded with well-compensated, stable, and fulfilling work. "It's a big industry in terms of dollars and scope, but it's a relatively small world in terms of workers and number of relevant mining sites. In the course of their career, an individual can become well-known throughout the industry. And that can be extremely rewarding."

"We don't need to sugarcoat mining," he adds. "We have problems. But we also have solutions. And for those who care about the future, this is a place where you can make a real difference."