Citation: Bi, L.; Wang, Z.; Wu, Z.;
Zhang, Y. A New Reform of Mining
Production and Management Modes
under Industry 4.0: Cloud Mining
Mode. Appl. Sci. 2022, 12, 2781.
https://doi.org/10.3390/
app12062781
Academic Editors: Paolo Renna, João
Carlos de Oliveira Matias and Yosoon
Choi
Received: 20 December 2021
Accepted: 7 March 2022
Published: 8 March 2022
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Article
A New Reform of Mining Production and Management Modes
under Industry 4.0: Cloud Mining Mode
Lin Bi
1,2
, Zhuo Wang
1,2,
* , Zhaohao Wu
1,2
and Yuhao Zhang
1,2
1
School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China;
mr.bilin@csu.edu.cn (L.B.); wuzhaohao@csu.edu.cn (Z.W.); 205511034@csu.edu.cn (Y.Z.)
2
Research Center of Digital Mine, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
* Correspondence: wangzhuo34@csu.edu.cn
Abstract:
In the context of Industry 4.0, using a new generation of information technology to activate
and transform traditional industries will maintain the long-term competitiveness of traditional
industries. The mining industry is also going through the process of informatization transformation.
Through a literature survey, we analyze the current situation and challenges faced by mine production
and operation management. Many mining companies are expanding in scale, but their operation and
management methods are inefficient, and their business processes and organizational management
methods need to be reformed. We propose a new mode named CM mode (cloud mining mode).
We define this as integrating the core business of the mine (such as production and operation
management, mining technology, planning services, etc.) into the cloud through effective use of
cloud technologies, cloud resources, and cloud services. A large number of human and intellectual
resources move to the cloud. A new mode of operation and management of mining industry clusters
is thus formed; it is open, cooperative, and coordinated. We present five elements of the CM mode:
data resources, digital technologies, digital talents, cloud business form, and cloud cooperation
mode. We establish a “cloud–edge–terminal” technical framework of the CM mode, and describe
its technical characteristics. We also describe three main application scenarios of the CM mode, and
highlight the development path and key points of construction. The CM mode highlights a new
development direction for the production and management of intelligent mines, and is of great
significance for giving full play to the value of intelligent construction.
Keywords:
intelligent mines; cloud mining; efficient operation management; cloud business; open
cooperation
1. Introduction
Industry 4.0 [
1
–
3
] refers to the use of CPSs (cyber–physical systems) to digitize the
supply, manufacturing, and sales information in production, and finally achieve fast,
effective, and personalized product supply. When people mention the era of Industry 4.0,
they will think of its many characteristics: interconnection, data, integration, innovation,
and transformation; its core feature is interconnection—that is, equipment, production lines,
factories, suppliers, products, and customers are linked together. Therefore, the technology
of cloud computing and the Internet of Things is constantly developing. Many large
enterprises have taken advantage of public and private clouds to move some workloads
from premises to the cloud because it is more cost-effective. In addition, this gives workers
flexible forms of work organization. Workers will be freed from monotonous, routine
work to focus on innovation and value-added services. Under the wave of Industry 4.0,
many countries are undergoing a deep integration of industrialization and informatization.
Advanced technologies (such as IoT, AI, big data, cloud computing, edge computing, digital
twins, etc.) have been applied to many industries and fields [
4
,
5
]. These technologies have
also fully penetrated the intelligent construction of mining enterprises.
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12, 2781. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12062781 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci
