Manufacturing and process
Mining
Mines run heavy equipment in remote places, more and more of it without a driver, while ventilation and hoists keep people alive underground.
How the process runs
From rock face to port
Rock is drilled and blasted, loaded and hauled, crushed, conveyed and processed into concentrate or metal, then shipped. Underground mines add ventilation, dewatering and hoisting, and waste goes to tailings facilities.
Stage 1: Drill and blast
Drill rigs, often automated, prepare the rock for blasting.
Control systemsDrill automationElectronic blasting systemsChallenge1Stage 3: Underground services
Ventilation, dewatering and hoists keep underground mines safe and working.
Control systemsVentilation controlDewatering pumpsHoist and winder controlChallenge2Stage 4: Crushing and conveying
Ore is crushed and carried to the plant on conveyors.
Control systemsCrusher PLCsConveyor controlStage 5: Processing
Grinding, flotation or leaching separates the metal from the rock.
Control systemsProcessing DCSOnline analysersChallenge4Stage 6: Tailings and logistics
Waste goes to tailings facilities, and product leaves by rail, road or port.
Control systemsTailings monitoringRail and port loading
Attackers rarely go straight for a controller. They travel through these shared systems, so this is where we look first.
For product makers
Building products for mining?
Autonomous trucks, drills and fleet systems are software products, and mines now ask their makers how they are secured and updated.
- Autonomous haulage and drilling systems
- Fleet management software
- Processing plant control systems
- Hoist and ventilation controls
- Site wireless equipment
Due to apply from 20 January 2027, including machines that move on their own: control systems must withstand foreseeable malicious attempts.
Products with digital elements sold in the EU need CE marking under the CRA from 11 December 2027.
Mines ask for certified components and a secure development process.
For plant owners
Where it gets hard, and how we tackle it
We start from how your process runs, fix what matters most first, and use what you already own wherever we can.
Autonomy runs on the network
Driverless trucks and drills take commands over the site wireless network, sometimes from an operations centre far away. Losing or spoofing that link stops the mine, or worse.
How we tackle itWe assess the autonomy system, the site wireless and the remote operations link together, and design segmentation and monitoring so a fault in one cannot reach the others.
Risk AssessmentUnderground systems keep people alive
Ventilation, dewatering and hoist control cannot tolerate added delay or new ways to fail.
How we tackle itWe rank systems by what happens to people if they fail, and try every control on a testbed before it goes near a hoist or a fan.
Cybersecurity TestbedsRemote sites, thin support
Mines are far from head office with few specialists on site, so problems wait for someone to arrive.
How we tackle itWe train site engineers to own OT security day to day, and set up monitoring that head office can watch.
Job Readiness TrainingOEMs run parts of the operation
Fleet, autonomy and processing vendors monitor and update their systems remotely, often on their own terms.
How we tackle itWe bring vendor access, contract terms and monitoring under the mine's control.
Cybersecurity Program
Where plant owners usually start
Three ways in
Rules and standards
What applies in mining
- IEC 62443International
Zones, conduits and security levels for autonomy, processing and underground systems.
- NIST SP 800-82Guidance
Practical OT security guidance, useful where no mining-specific rule exists.
- CERT-In Directions, 2022India
Cyber incidents must be reported to CERT-In within 6 hours.
Talk to RelyBlue
Operating in mining?
An honest conversation about your OT environment. No sales pressure, no fear tactics.
- You talk to a senior advisor, never a salesperson