On 16/04/14 08:02, Roger Clarke wrote: > ... I am opposed to media dumbly reporting what, in the absence of > any solid evidence, looks very much like propaganda. ...
CSIRO released an okay report which covers the social impact of automation in mining (there is more in the academic literature on this topic): "* Our own discussions with industry representatives indicate a possible 30-40 per cent reduction in the mining workforce (50% reduction in operational roles) at those operations which adopt large-scale automation. ... * Previous research by the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining (CSRM) found that 50 per cent of Indigenous employees in an Australian mining operation occupied semi-skilled positions such as truck driving, followed by traineeships (20%), trades (12%), and administration (7%). This indicates that Indigenous groups, in particular, are likely to be significantly impacted by the large-scale uptake of automation. ... * Autonomous and remote operation technologies may also present opportunities for other demographic groups (such as women and people living in larger regional centres) to participate in the mining industry – spreading the benefits of mining and increasing workforce participation in the mining sector. ... * Under current policy arrangements, if automation results in a smaller resident workforce, this would generate a reduction in population-dependent government services and funding levels for regional communities (such as those relating to health and education). This creates a tension similar to that experienced with the increasing use of fly-in fly-out workforces at some mine sites in close proximity to regional communities. ... McNab, K. L., & Garcia-Vasquez, M. (2011). Autonomous and remote operation technologies in Australian mining. Prepared for CSIRO Minerals Down Under Flagship, Minerals Futures Cluster Collaboration, by the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland. Brisbane. http://csiro.au/~/media/CSIROau/Flagships/Minerals%20Down%20Under/MF%20Cluster%20publications/McNab%20and%20GarciaReport25Autonomous%20and%20remote%20operation%20technologies%20in%20Australian%20mining.pdf -- Tom Worthington FACS CP, TomW Communications Pty Ltd. t: 0419496150 The Higher Education Whisperer http://blog.highereducationwhisperer.com/ PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia http://www.tomw.net.au Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Research School of Computer Science, Australian National University http://cs.anu.edu.au/courses/COMP7310/ _______________________________________________ Link mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
