The 5s Innovation Model: A Tech-Innovation Strategy for the Mine of the Future

This book is aimed to help us look into the future of mining by defining ultimate operational conditions that will be present in a typical mining operation regardless how far in the future.

Prof. Dr. Antonio Nieto is a highly experienced mining engineer who has dedicated his career to advancing the mining industry. With over 30 years of experience, he has played a key role in numerous mining projects across the Americas, Europe, and Africa. Dr. Nieto’s area of expertise lies in designing and implementing projects that enhance the safety and efficiency of mining operations, as well as developing innovative technologies for this purpose. He is a leading figure in the mining industry and a vocal advocate of sustainable mining practices on the international stage.

Dr. Nieto was born and raised in Guanajuato, Mexico, and obtained his degree in mining engineering from the University of Guanajuato. During the early 1990s, he worked in underground gold and silver mines. Later, he received a scholarship from the Colorado School of Mines, where he earned his master’s degree in 1995. His thesis research project focused on geostatistics, based on a lead characterization project in Leadville, Colorado. He was then invited by the Ecole des Mines de Paris in France to work on a research project in mining geostatistics, completing his second master’s thesis dissertation in 1997. Upon returning to the United States, Dr. Nieto pursued a PhD in Mining Engineering, completing his thesis dissertation in 2001. His PhD research focused on developing a Virtual Reality Real-Time Mining Modeling and Monitoring System, which was successfully tested at the Morenci Mine in Arizona.

After completing his academic training, Dr. Nieto served as a professor at Penn State University, where he taught several mining courses. He later accepted a position as Vice President of Global Engineering Education at Laureate Universities. Subsequently, he served as Chair and Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Following his academic career, Dr. Nieto held various leadership positions in the mining industry, including Chief Technology Officer of The CRCMining in Australia, Director of the Mining Tech Center, and Vice President of Technology and Innovation with Penoles Industries. Additionally, he served as Vice President of Innovation and Technology with Gold-Fields in Ghana, West Africa.

Currently, Dr. Nieto is the Director of the FLS Mining Technology and Research Center located in Salt Lake City, USA. His current research interests include mining innovation and technology, mineral reserves, and mineral economics. Dr. Nieto also advises graduate students at several universities worldwide, including MBA teams at Harvard and Cambridge Universities, on topics related to ＂the critical role that the mining industry will play in powering future economic growth＂ and ＂The role of sustainable extraction and processing of critical minerals in driving the current tech energy transition.＂

Dr. Nieto is a member of Mexico’s National Academy of Engineering and is a Qualified Professional (QP) accredited by The Mining & Minerals Society of America.