A new digital platform developed at the Sibanye-Stillwater Digital Mining Laboratory (DigiMine) within the Wits Mining Institute is offering a practical solution to one of the mining sector’s most persistent challenges: building trust with the communities located near mining operations.
The platform, known as the Intelligent Community Dialogue Agent (ICDA), is being developed in collaboration with local and international partners as part of the MASTERMINE project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme.
According to Dr. Ahsan Mahboob, Head of DigiMine and principal investigator on the ICDA project, many of the most pressing challenges facing the mining industry today are not technical or operational, but social. “The most complex challenges facing mining companies today are no longer technical or geological, but social, particularly in how they manage their impact on local communities and the surrounding environment,” said Dr. Mahboob.
He explained that while many mining companies recognise the importance of responsible community engagement, there is often a gap between intention and effective action. The ICDA aims to close that gap by enabling structured, two-way communication and transparent, responsive interaction. “Addressing these tensions requires more than outreach. It demands consistent, transparent, and reciprocal engagement. Communities must feel that their concerns are not only heard but responded to with clarity and urgency,” he said.
The ICDA solution
The ICDA is designed as a two-part system. It includes a mobile application for members of mining-affected communities, and a secure web platform for mining companies to manage, respond to, and analyse incoming feedback. The platform was developed by a team of experts at DigiMine, including postdoctoral fellows at the University of the Witwatersrand, who contributed significantly to its design, development, and implementation.
The mobile app allows users to submit reports on key issues such as health, safety, infrastructure, labour, pollution, or resettlement. It also offers access to frequently asked questions, public notices, announcements, and local event updates. “The ICDA has been developed to transform how information and services are delivered to communities. It ensures that mining-related communication is not only accessible but also structured, targeted, and transparent,” said Dr. Mahboob.
“Through the app, community members gain access to relevant, site-specific information, from frequently asked questions to real-time updates on announcements, events, and engagement opportunities. It creates a central point of trusted information exchange”.
On the administrative side, ICDA includes a web-based platform designed for use by mining partner organisations. This system was developed by Dr. Iqra Atif, senior lecturer at Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, who leads the ICDA web platform team at DigiMine.
“Our goal was to create a secure and user-friendly interface that gives mining partners the tools they need to monitor real-time feedback, detect emerging issues, and engage proactively with communities,” said Dr. Atif. “The system includes dashboards, hotspot visualisation, and customisable content management functions, all accessible through a single portal”.
Dr. Mahboob added that the ICDA supports the broader goals of responsible mining by aligning engagement practices with corporate social responsibility and sustainability frameworks. “The platform provides mining operators with a structured system to monitor community feedback and integrate it into operational or policy decisions. It enhances both the responsiveness of engagement and alignment with social and environmental commitments”.
Part of a global initiative
The ICDA forms part of the OURMINE module within the larger MASTERMINE project. This module is dedicated to improving communication between mining operations and the communities they affect, using innovative tools to foster dialogue and long-term collaboration. “ICDA was developed as part of the OURMINE module of the MASTERMINE project, which focuses on fostering trust, dialogue, and social innovation between mining operations and the communities they affect,” said Dr. Mahboob.
The platform also reflects a broader shift in the mining sector as it moves from the Fourth to the Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR). This next phase places greater emphasis on human-centred innovation, where digital technology is not only used to improve productivity, but also to support inclusion, transparency, and social responsibility.
Preparing for testing and rollout
The ICDA is now entering its closed testing phase. Selected mining partners, based in Europe and potentially South Africa, will evaluate the system in real operational conditions. Their feedback will inform the final refinements before broader deployment. Designed for scalability and adaptability, the ICDA is intended to support a wide range of mining environments, enabling companies to strengthen transparency, accountability, and communication in line with global sustainability practices.
