Why does the Russian coal industry still lack functioning digital twins? Digital twins have long ceased to be an experiment in global mining practice. In Australia and China, they already manage value chains – from the face to the shipment. In Russia, however, according to industry research, investments in this technology still do not exceed 1.6% of digital budgets, and the effect of implementation is often negative. Let's figure out where we stand compared to the leaders and what prevents us from moving forward. 📊 Facts and figures: 🔹 Maturity levels. There are four levels of digital twin adoption. Australian BHP operates at the third level: digital twins are integrated with AI and remote operations centers, increasing production efficiency by 5–10%. Vertically integrated Chinese companies (China Shenhua Energy), with government support, show gains of up to 20%. 🔹 The Russian situation. According to 2023–2024 surveys, the share of investments in digital twins is 1.2–1.6%. Priority is given to automated process control systems, geographic information systems, and logistics. Full-fledged digital twins exist only as local pilots at individual assets. The distance to systematic implementation is several maturity levels. 🚧 Main barriers: Researchers identify four major constraints: ▪️ high cost of technologies with unclear effect; ▪️ low level of basic automation and lack of digital infrastructure; ▪️ shortage of personnel with digital competencies (especially in management); ▪️ and most importantly – the industry still lacks both a digitalization strategy and unified assessment standards. ⛏️ Why this matters for mining? A digital twin is not just a 3D model or fancy reporting. It is a tool that predicts equipment failures, manages loads in complex geological conditions, and ultimately reduces downtime. In Australia and China, such systems already work proactively. In Russia, they are still solving basic automation tasks. 📖 For more details, see the article: 🔗 Nikitenko S.M., Goosen E.V., Rozhkov A.A., Korolev M.K. Digital twins and digital technologies: specific features and prospects in the coal industry. Mining Science and Technology (Russia). 2025;10(4):298–305. https://doi.org/10.17073/2500-0632-2025-04-402 🔔 Subscribe to the journal's Telegram channel: t.me/MinSciTech #inEnglish #MST #DigitalTwins #CoalIndustry #Digitalization #Mining #Industry4_0 #PredictiveAnalytics #MiningEquipment