By Fiona Jeffreys
Erdenet Mining’s digital drive – powered by technology and partnership – boosted ore output by 8 million tonnes, halved manual tasks, and enabled AI-readiness.
Erdenet Mining Corporation (EMC), a major copper producer in Mongolia, began digitising decades of historical data in 2018, making the leap from paper to platform in partnership with Trigteq and Seequent.
The shift has enabled rapid, collaborative, and dynamic management of vast mineral resources and positioned the company for sustainable, compliant future growth.
As a key player in the country’s mining sector, EMC’s continued active participation to prioritise digital initiatives is, ‘highly significant,’ said Chief Executive Director, Yondon Gelen.
‘Erdenet’s digital transition sets a standard for Mongolia’s mining sector, highlighting the benefits of digitalisation for both the country and the global industry,’ he said.
EMC has digitised decades of mining data with Trigteq and Seequent partnership. Source: EMC (2020)
To meet growing global demand for critical minerals, the mining sector must identify innovative and accelerated approaches to boost productivity with greater efficiency.
EMC has enhanced its operational capacity by implementing Seequent’s advanced 3D geological modelling solutions. This adoption has improved underground understanding, leading to increased efficiencies and a significant rise in ore production.
The state-owned company currently extracts nearly 40 million tonnes of ore annually, producing copper and molybdenum concentrates. Since 2020, production has increased by 8 million tonnes, due to greater efficiency achieved through digital technologies.
‘As we worked to increase ore production, Seequent solutions have enabled us to make rapid decisions regarding grade and ore control, streamline short-term planning, and efficiently update our resource models,’ said Gelen.
‘By working with Trigteq and Seequent to implement digital solutions, our engineering and technical teams are also more productive, leading to significant resource management improvements,’ he added.
Erdenet Mining boosted ore output by 8m tonnes via digital transformation. Source: EMC.
Channel partner drives change
Trigteq LLC, an authorised reseller and training provider for Seequent, has been a pivotal partner in helping EMC succeed on its digital journey.
Led by co-founder and CEO, Tsolmon Gonchig, Trigteq has provided specialised training and consulting for Seequent’s geological modelling and cloud collaboration solutions.
‘Our unique position in Mongolia allows us to help EMC and other leading mining companies to modernise their practices, streamline workflows and work faster,’ said Gonchig.
Mining operations rely on accurate geoscience data to guide exploration, optimise resource extraction, and minimise environmental impacts. Yet, managing, standardising, and analysing vast, dispersed datasets remains a significant challenge.
In the past, EMC had faced labour-intensive processes, data issues, slow sharing, and lengthy reporting – especially in face mapping, surveys, drilling, and sampling.
Throughout this initiative, the Trigteq team has taken on key roles for the EMC geotechnical and exploration teams such as digitising hard-copy data, automating data collection, and integrating workflows.
‘Efficiency is at the core of our efforts,’ said Gonchig. ‘For example, we have delivered numerous trainings and demonstrations on how to automate and dynamically manage resource calculations and movements within the Seequent solutions environment.’
Phased digital transition approach
Digital technology is adopted in two phases: first, current workflows and data management practices are assessed to select appropriate tools for geological analysis, modelling, mine planning, and surveying.
A pilot project is then launched (such as digitising geological survey information) during which the chosen solutions are put into action and their results carefully tracked.
‘Input from stakeholders is collected to assess how well the tools work before expanding them further,’ said Gonchig.
Trigteq’s ongoing support has also enabled EMC to maintain best practices and stay current with fresh developments in technology.
‘It works both ways,’ said Gonchig. ‘Collaborating with EMC has also given our Trigteq team valuable technical and business insights into how to best automate data workflows, develop process maps for mining, and maximise software capabilities.’
Trigteq took a hands-on approach to help drive EMC’s digital success. Source: EMC.
Empowering data-driven decisions
Seequent’s integrated suite of mining solutions has played a central role in supporting EMC’s digitisation efforts.
Leapfrog Geo provides fast 3D geological modelling with easy workflows and quick data processing, and Leapfrog Edge turns resource estimation data into a visual, connected workflow.
Oasis Montaj helps process, map, QA, and interpret exploration data. Imago offers advanced core image capture and management, while MX Deposit helps collect, organise, share, and link drillhole and sample data in the cloud.
Seequent Central acts as a hub that integrates and tracks all geoscience data, enhancing team collaboration, flexibility, and information exchange.
‘Seequent solutions have proven to be fast, dynamic, and effective for collecting field data and performing preliminary calculations, while facilitating collaboration with other teams,’ said Damdinsuren Muunuu, Head of EMC’s exploration division.
‘For example, key data like geological models, face mapping, and rock chip logging are produced in Leapfrog Geo and then integrated into geotechnical estimates via the Central system to share information,’ said Muunuu.
Seequent solutions helped EMC teams streamline digital workflows. Source: EMC.
Accelerated resource modelling with Leapfrog Edge
Since ore reserves and mineral resources are the backbone of a successful mining operation, the ability to rapidly update resource models is crucial. These models help manage resources efficiently, improve pit operations, and guide investment decisions.
EMC uses Leapfrog Edge to keep their resource and geometallurgical models up to date, which is crucial for assessing economic indicators.
‘The advanced technology and collaborative tools provided by Seequent have greatly improved the speed and reliability of our processes, our ability to manage resources efficiently and share vital information across teams,’ said Undrakhtamir Aleksandr, EMC’s Head of the geology and survey department.
Aleksandr added that the data workflows established using this technology will also provide, ‘significant benefits for our future initiatives, particularly those involving AI-based automation.’
EMC’s digital drive sets the standard for Mongolia’s mining sector. Source EMC.
Quantifiable gains and next steps
The results of EMC’s digital transformation are tangible and significant. Implementing new technologies has cut manual processes in half, enhanced team collaboration, and sped up the flow of data.
Daily data entry into the database now saves 1–2 hours per day for multiple specialists.
And tasks that once took considerable time – like traditional modelling – now take 50–90% less time, often enabling a 20-week project to be completed in just one week.
‘These efficiencies translate into substantial cost and time savings, improved quality of deliverables and a reduced carbon footprint,’ said CEO, Gelen.
Looking ahead, EMC and Trigteq plan to automate even more processes, particularly outside the exploration phase, and use AI-driven automation for future projects.
Their continued partnership with Seequent fuels ongoing innovation, maintaining EMC’s role as an industry leader in Mongolia and serves as a model for digital transformation across the sector.
*Yondon Gelen, Chief executive director, Undrakhtamir Aleksandr, Head of the geology and survey service department and Damdinsuren Muunuu, Head of the exploration division, work alongside a talented team at EMC including; Samdanshiirv Tumenjargal, Principal surveyor engineer; Altankhuyag Dorj-Yunden, Chief geologist development department; Amgalanbaatar Ulammandakh, Chief geologist exploration division; Lkhagvasuren Bayarsaikhan, Team lead geotechnical bureau and, Anudari Odontuya, Resource geologist.