Remote Operations Centers (ROCs) are centralized, off-site facilities that allow engineers, geologists, and equipment operators to monitor and control mine operations using AI, analytics, augmented reality, and autonomous machinery. This happens in real time, without having to be physically present at the mine. So, why has the mining industry historically placed remote operations centers in major cities, far from the communities that actually host the project? It may have been more convenient for finding pre-trained employees and existing infrastructure, but it's a missed opportunity for both the company and the community.

What would it look like if mines began deliberately setting these facilities up close to the mine, so that jobs, wages, and economic activity for the present and future, stay where they belong, in the host community?

About 15–20% of a mine's workforce can operate remotely via ROC. This represents significant employment with the largest, easily accessible and documented, example at 430+ staff which is a Rio Tinto ROC in Perth (over 1,500 kilometers away from the Pilbara mine site). In this case, these represent 430+ quality jobs that could stay closer to the community which would keep the benefits that they create local.

This isn't just good community relations, it's an effective model for how extractive industries can earn and maintain their social-license-to-operate within the host community.

The logic is straightforward. Remote operations centers can be built anywhere, so instead of defaulting to a city that has no stake in the project, situate them locally and create sustainable jobs that are appreciated and allow the benefits to stay within the local ecosystem.

Although this opportunity has been missed by companies in the past, that may be changing.

For example, South32 Hermosa's "Centro" ROC facility is being built in Nogales, Arizona, just 28 miles from the proposed Hermosa mine. This is one of the first real-world examples of placing the ROC in the project area. The company itself has committed to local workforce goal of 80% for the 200+ positions Centro will create, and an additional $1.4 billion to Arizona’s economy annually, with $999 million going directly into Santa Cruz County’s economy. These benefits will strengthen its partnerships and support for the project within the community.

This opportunity isn't unique to mining. Oil and gas, renewables, data centers, and other industries have the same opportunity. A relatively small change in where you put a remote operations hub can make a relatively big difference in how your project is received, and sustained, by the community that hosts it.

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