Dr. Ahsan Mahboob

Head of Digital Mining Laboratory (DigiMine) University of The Witwatersrand

Dr. Ahsan Mahboob is Head of the Sibanye-Stillwater Digital Mining Laboratory (DigiMine) at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, one of the world’s leading testbeds for underground digital mining. Since 2019 he has led partnerships between Wits, Sibanye-Stillwater and more than 30 technology and industry partners to translate Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as automation, data analytics, real-time monitoring and intelligent systems into safer, smarter and more energy-efficient African mines. Reflecting the broader continental focus on progress through partnerships, Dr. Mahboob’s work emphasises collaborative digital solutions for critical minerals, ESG performance and social licence. He leads several high-impact digital mining and geospatial innovation projects, including the EU Horizon funded Intelligent Community Dialogue Agent (ICDA), alongside multiple fasttrack programmes in underground communication systems, IoT-based safety monitoring, digital sensing, renewable energy modelling and mine electrification. He drives international collaborations with leading universities and research organisations across Africa, Asia and Europe. With a strong background in geospatial science, data analytics and digital systems, and a PhD from Wits in data-driven mineral exploration, he has published over 50 papers on geospatial data science, mining digitalisation, IoT-based safety systems and cyber-physical mining operations. Widely regarded as an academic intrapreneur, he leads multidisciplinary teams and collaborative programmes that position DigiMine as a strategic partner for investors seeking scalable, future-ready digital mining solutions in Africa.