From June 25-28, SME will host the Applications for Computers and Operations Research in the Minerals Industries (APCOM) conferences in Rapid City, SD. Founded in 1961 by the University of Stanford, the University of Arizona, the Pennsylvania State University and the Colorado School of Mines the conference aims to promote the application of computer and operations research in the minerals industry.

Dr. Andrea Brickey, Ph.D, PE, associate professor at South Dakota School of Mines is the conference chair for the 41st edition of the conference that returns to the United States for the first time since 2017 when it was hosted by the Colorado School of Mines. The University of Alaska Fairbanks hosted the conference in 2015.

“The mining industry is in high demand as our society moves toward new energy generation methods and increased need for raw materials to achieve multiple goals. In addition, the mining industry has set forth several challenges aimed at improving productivity, reducing environmental impacts, and increasing safety, among many others,” Brickey wrote in a welcoming letter to attendees. “Our role as industry and academic leaders is to continue to drive these advances. That is why I am so excited for APCOM 2023 and the opportunity to learn about new and exciting advances in our industry as well as the chance to discuss challenges and opportunities to collaborate to support our industry.”
Brickey recently spoke with SME about the conference.

SME: What are some of the highlights for this year’s conference, either through sessions or social events or both?

Brickey: “This year we are seeing some great advances in mine planning techniques and integrating machine learning and artificial intelligence into various aspects of our industry. Another hot topic is automation and battery electric vehicles.”

APCOM session topics include: Autonomy & electrification; Economics; Safety; Mine processing; Uncertainty; Simulation; Tailings & waste; Surface planning; Underground planning; AI techniques; Blasting and Resource estimation.

SME: What are you most looking forward to in this year’s conference?
Brickey: “I think all of us are excited to be in the same place for the first time since 2019. Our South African colleagues delivered a great online program in 2021, but I think everyone is excited to network and share our ideas in person this year. I am also excited to share the beautiful Black Hills with our delegates.”

SME: What makes APCOM unique or makes it stand out?
Brickey: “It’s where presenters can talk stochastic optimization and Sequential Gaussian Simulations and we don’t lose the audience, but in all seriousness, it is a great conference for anyone who gets excited about solving problems and improving our industry.”

APCOM – Intelligent Mining: Innovation, Vision and Value will take place June 25-28, in Rapid City, SD at the Holiday Inn in Rapid City, SD. To register for the conference: https://smeapcom.org/register/