Context: In the Mining industry, energy cost per ton is a key efficiency metric across Surface & Underground Mining, Mineral Processing & Metallurgy, and Mining Services & Equipment, given the substantial energy intensity of running haul trucks, drills, crushing, and grinding.

Challenges: High-power equipment such as mills, hoists, and ventilation fans often runs without coordination to electricity rate windows or renewable availability, and conveyor speeds or pump pressures stay at full power even when reduced output would suffice.

Solution: The Energy Cost Guidance Agent, an AI agent built using Microsoft Copilot Studio, monitors production schedules and electricity price trends as they shift and intervenes during equipment scheduling and parameter-tuning decisions, flagging energy waste before it is locked into the operating plan.

Impact: Mining operators adopting this approach see energy efficiency decisions made autonomously and proactively, with energy cost per ton falling while production levels are maintained.