Adriatic Metals CEO Laura Tyler on mining the future: Why the next leap depends on bravery, sponsorship and purpose
Jamie Wade
Helping people win contracts in the resources, construction, infrastructure, energy and utilities and drilling sectors.
When Laura Tyler took the stage at this year’s AusIMM Underground Operators Conference in Adelaide, she did more than deliver a keynote—she issued a call to action.
With over three decades of experience in mining and a CV stacked with senior technical roles, including a 20-year tenure at BHP that culminated in her appointment as the group’s inaugural Chief Technical Officer, Tyler is no stranger to what it takes to lead through change. But her message to the 1700-strong audience at UGOPS2025 was clear: the kind of change the industry needs now won’t come from doing more of the same—it requires courage, collaboration, and committed sponsorship from the top.
The future is now—and it’s nothing like the past
“Without mines,” Tyler began, “society will not have the commodities it needs to lift people out of poverty. It will not have the commodities it needs to move to a low-carbon economy.”
Yet what sets the current era apart, she argued, is not the “what” but the “how.”
As the CEO and Managing Director of Adriatic Metals, currently ramping up its Vares silver operation in the Balkans, Tyler is leading from the front—demonstrating how new mines can be built with environmental integrity, community engagement, and future-focused design embedded from day one.
But she warned: success in the coming decades depends on how well the industry leverages what she called a “once-in-a-generation” technological opportunity. And it’s not just about adopting new tools—it’s about rethinking systems, cultures and mindsets.
From Edison to Apple: Lessons from the past
Drawing on examples ranging from Thomas Edison’s persistence in perfecting the light bulb to the disruptive impact of Jobs and Wozniak’s Apple revolution, Tyler illustrated that innovation is rarely a flash of brilliance—it’s almost always a product of persistence, risk-taking and collaboration.
“Innovation doesn’t just happen,” she said. “It needs resilience. It needs a collective effort. And crucially, it needs sponsorship.”
Referencing the Human Genome Project and Rio Tinto’s early backing of block caving research, Tyler emphasised that bold ideas only become breakthrough realities when they are supported—financially and culturally—by those with influence.
Mining reimagined: robotics, AI and the age of dark mines
Looking ahead, Tyler sees two major frontiers reshaping underground mining:
She pointed to the growing influence of humanoid robotics, drones, wearable sensors, and the potential for truly “dark mines”—underground environments devoid of human presence, where safety risks are eliminated and energy use is radically reduced.
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“It’s not just about automation,” she explained. “It’s about creating smarter systems that can operate safely, sustainably and efficiently with minimal human intervention—and giving people new roles as supervisors, analysts and strategists.”
The leadership challenge: shifting from gatekeepers to sponsors
But as promising as these technologies are, Tyler acknowledged a major hurdle: the industry’s own risk appetite.
“Our boards are full of people who made their careers applying existing technologies better and faster,” she said. “But the pace of change today demands a new mindset—one that’s open to disruptive thinking and willing to sponsor unproven but potentially game-changing ideas.”
She encouraged executives and directors to resist the instinct to retreat to “what’s known” and instead to create environments where failure is acceptable, and innovation can flourish.
“This isn’t the job of one team, or one company. It’s the responsibility of every leader in this room.”
Closing the gap: backing innovators at the edge
Tyler acknowledged the frustration felt by many startups and small tech players trying to navigate the notoriously risk-averse mining procurement landscape.
“There are so many good ideas out there—many of them on the exhibition floor right now,” she said. “But without access to real sites, real data, and real capital, most will never make it across the valley of death.”
Her advice? Be curious. Make time. Create pilot spaces. Measure what matters.
Mining with purpose
If there was one overarching theme to her presentation, it was that mining must continue to evolve—not just to survive, but to thrive in a world demanding more responsible, transparent, and purpose-driven operations.
“We mine because what we produce changes lives. But how we mine will determine whether we continue to be trusted to do so.”
Her final challenge to the room was simple: hold in your mind the breakthroughs of the past, the opportunities of the present, and the responsibility to shape the future.
“Be persistent. Be resilient. Be curious. But above all, be a sponsor—for the ideas, people and technologies that will build the mine of the future.”