TechConnect boosts Idemitsu’s mine data with analytics platform

TechConnect has assisted Idemitsu Australia in improving its data management operations through the implementation of an analytics and reporting solution at the Boggabri coal mine in New South Wales.

Idemitsu Australia, a subsidiary of Japanese energy company Idemitsu Kosan, is responsible for the operations of coal mines in regional Australia and has identified the management of production data as a strategic priority for achieving operational efficiency, cost management and supporting long-term sustainability objectives.

During a review in 2024, Idemitsu Australia identified several challenges with its existing data management set-up. These included fragmented data sources, difficulties in accessing critical information, high and complex licence costs from multiple legacy systems, limited support for older systems, and issues arising from system incompatibility. The fragmentation increased the risk of data errors and impacted operational decision-making.

The first phase of the multi-year collaboration between TechConnect and Idemitsu Australia has focused on building a consolidated analytics platform. This has centralised data from disparate sources, making it possible to run complex queries against mining production and operational data in seconds – a task that was previously hampered by resource constraints. By reducing the number of systems, the company has managed to lower licensing costs and simplify its approach to data governance and maintenance.

Automation of reporting now enables regular management and regulatory reports to be produced more quickly and with greater accuracy. This has reduced the amount of effort required from staff and enhanced the reliability of reporting both internally and to external stakeholders. The consolidation of data also allows for future scaling of reporting requirements without the need to manage multiple disparate systems.

Clint Thomson, Director at TechConnect, said the solution was laying the groundwork for more comprehensive improvements throughout Idemitsu's operations and highlighted both the immediate and future benefits.

"We are excited to be working with such an iconic organisation as Idemitsu and to play a role in helping them improve the way they understand and apply data to business strategy. Being able to provide a solution which, for example, enables them to query data in seconds is a substantial and important development. But there is a lot more to do, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with Idemitsu Australia. Current project enhancements are focussed on ingesting near real-time operational data to support operational decision making."

The operation-wide improvements anticipated from the partnership are projected to provide Idemitsu Australia with better data visibility, with the goal of strengthening decision-making capabilities across its mining operations.

In the longer term, it is also expected that TechConnect's technologies will support Idemitsu Australia's work as it diversifies its business and enhances its sustainability and decarbonisation objectives. The company is investing in sustainable energy development at its Muswellbrook and Boggabri sites, including pumped hydro and solar projects, and is exploring further resource opportunities related to critical minerals such as lithium, vanadium and graphite. These investments are intended to support clean energy storage solutions and carbon reduction targets.

Headquartered in Queensland, Idemitsu Australia's Boggabri coal mine produces approximately seven million tonnes per year of semi-soft, PCI and thermal coal for export to customers in Asia and Europe. The company reports that it has been committed to supporting local communities and contributing to economic growth for more than 45 years, and remains focused on balancing current energy demands with long-term sustainability aims.

TechConnect, based on the Gold Coast in Queensland, was established in 2011. The company provides data management and cloud managed services to customers across several industries including mining, resources, retail, gaming, agriculture and healthcare. It collaborates with global cloud vendors and works with partners to deliver integrated technology solutions.