IMARC preview: Paul House on digital transformation in mining

Australian Securities Exchange-listed IMDEX has grown through strategic M&A and organic expansion to be the world’s only US$1 billion-plus publicly-owned mining tech company.

CEO Paul House has been at the helm during a period of significant change for IMDEX and the broader sector. At this month’s IMARC conference at ICC Sydney he will look at mining’s productivity and cost challenges through a digital transformation lens.

Mining Beacon editor Richard Roberts spoke with him ahead of the event.

Richard Roberts: If I read through all the literature it’s pretty clear that “digital transformation in mining” means something quite different today than it did five years ago – when you became CEO of IMDEX actually. How do you see digital transformation in mining differently now?

Paul House: Five years ago digital transformation in mining was more of a concept, focusing on automation and isolated digital tools. Today it has evolved into a mature, integrated approach that emphasises interoperable digital ecosystems. These ecosystems enable smarter, faster decisions across the entire mining value chain.

IMDEX has transitioned from offering individual technologies to delivering an integrated, scalable digital platform for subsurface intelligence. This shift is supported by acquisitions like Datarock, Krux Analytics, and Earth Science Analytics (ESA), which accelerate our vision for real-time, decision-ready earth knowledge.

Richard Roberts: A fundamental shift in the past five or so years has been the acquisition/development and integration of wider digital tool and skill sets within large international suppliers. For the first time we now have big, truly global firms that can aptly call themselves mining and metals technology vendors. How important are these groups to acceleration of the digital transformation in mining?

Paul House: These global firms are certainly helping the digital transformation in mining. They provide scale, capital and a comprehensive perspective on mining operations. At IMDEX, we are a leading vendor in this space. Through strategic acquisitions and internal development we are building a unified digital architecture that encompasses drilling analytics, geoscience and cloud-based data management, driving significant advancements in the industry.

The ability to support clients globally, while offering tailored and interoperable tools, is key to enabling step-change productivity improvements in the sector. As we see it, being a true technology partner, rather than just an equipment or software vendor, is where the value lies.

Richard Roberts: You have said mining is at the very early stages of its digital transformation journey, by a range of metrics and compared to, say, the oil and gas industry, which is probably the clearest parallel sector/market. On the mining side itself, what are the three things that are going to be the biggest factors in acceleration of that journey over the next decade?

Paul House: One, geological data standardisation and accessibility: trustworthy, real-time data mobilisation is essential for informed decision-making. Two, operational readiness: mines are increasingly embracing technology and enhancing their digital skills. Three, social and investor pressure: the growing demand for transparency, efficiency, and ESG metrics can only be met through scalable digital systems.

Richard Roberts: On the technology development/supply side, what are the three things that are going to be the biggest factors in acceleration of that journey over the next decade?

Paul House: One, interoperability: clients no longer want siloed solutions. Clients demand integrated solutions where systems communicate seamlessly. Two, AI/ML capabilities embedded into core products: embedding AI and machine learning into core products is now an expectation, not a luxury. Three, faster time to value: miners require tools that are easy to deploy, provide quick insights and scale efficiently.

Richard Roberts: Imdex recently invested in a second Norwegian company, Earth Science Analytics. ESA emerged with backing from the world’s largest oil and gas company, Saudi Arabia’s Aramco. You said about ESA: “This acquisition is a defining step in the acceleration of our digital strategy across multiple end markets … [It will enable IMDEX to] significantly reducing time-to-market for our orebody knowledge solutions.” How will the ESA technology significantly elevate IMDEX’s rate of progress vis-à-vis digital transformation in its primary market?

Paul House: ESA offers advanced cloud-based geoscience analytics and machine learning capabilities, originally developed for the oil and gas sector. Integrating ESA into our platform allows us to drastically reduce time-to-insight and speed up the time-to-market for our orebody knowledge solutions, enhancing our overall digital strategy.

In practical terms, it means our clients can move from data acquisition to decision-making faster than ever before, from months to days in some cases. This acquisition is not just about strengthening our technology stack; it’s about transforming how geology is done in mining.

Richard Roberts: IMDEX business Krux Analytics recently hosted a webinar on the future of drilling in mining, which had a heavy technology focus. The event – and other industry discourse – has highlighted the fact that most if not all the technology needed to achieve a “2035 vision” of a future drilling operation – autonomous, with advanced sensor/AI-driven real-time analytics – is currently available. Adoption is low. What is going to change that in the next five years?

Paul House: Three things:

• Demonstrated ROI: Continuously proving the operational and economic value of these tools is essential.
• Integration into workflows: Seamless integration is crucial for widespread adoption.
• Change-ready culture: Companies must invest in their workforce, providing training, incentives, and securing leadership buy-in to foster a culture ready for change.

Krux Analytics, for example, is helping operators visualise and optimise drilling programs in real-time. These are the kinds of platforms that create trust and momentum for broader transformation.

Richard Roberts: Are particular geographical regions or districts of mining activity going to lead faster adoption?

Paul House: Absolutely. We’re seeing faster uptake in jurisdictions with high labour costs, strong ESG frameworks and reliable connectivity. Australia and parts of North America are leading the charge. But we’re also seeing rapid innovation in places like Scandinavia and Chile, driven by environmental regulation and workforce constraints.

Richard Roberts: Imdex’s peer group has evolved in the past five years. What do you see as the company’s most important differentiators now in the markets it serves?

Paul House: Our differentiation comes from three things:

1. Platform integration: We’re not a point solution—we’re building a connected ecosystem.
2. Real-time subsurface intelligence: Our technologies work in the field and in the cloud, delivering immediate insights.
3. Relentless focus on customer problems: We co-develop with clients. Whether it’s through Krux, Datarock or ESA, we’re solving real-world challenges in drilling, geology and operations.

More than anything, our vision is clear: to make mining smarter, faster and more sustainable by transforming how orebody knowledge is generated, shared and acted upon.