# Digitalization in Open-Pit Mining: A New Approach in Monitoring and Control of Rock Fragmentation
## 1 Introduction  
Digitalization is the most significant tool in the formation of the modern world economy [1, 2]. Digital technologies are involved in all spheres of human activity and are a universal trigger for the creation of new approaches to solving ordinary issues [3, 4]. Mining industry is not an exception [5, 6]. The task of determining the rock fragmentation at the mining enterprises is one of the most important and constantly clarified issues [7, 8]. There are a number of approaches to determine the rock fragmentation at the following various stages of mining production: geological research [9, 10], blasting [11, 12], influence on technological processes and apparatuses [13, 14], and quality characteristics of finished products [15, 16]. However, the introduction of digital technologies, the extended use of information models of mining production, as well as the introduction of new analytical algorithms that help to conduct advanced analysis in several operations, repartitions, enterprises, etc., will allow us to optimize technological processes and obtain more profit without significant costs [17, 18]. The determination of rock fragmentation is an urgent task for mining enterprises; it is covered in many scientific papers [19, 20]. In particular, an article by [PERSON] et al. [21] evaluates the relationship between fragmentation (lump size) and drilling and blasting parameters. Ninety-one blasts are conducted with varying blast designs and charging patterns, and their impact on the rock fragmentation are documented. Software for the estimation of rock fragmentation is presented. Similar issues are covered in a work by [PERSON] et al. [22]. The article describes the relationship between fragment size and such factors as burden, bench height/drilling depth, stemming column, powder factor, and hole diameter using special software for digital image analysis. A paper by [PERSON] et al. [23] shows the effect of detonator location and rock fragmentation. Detonator location is studied for open-pit bench blasting. The best detonator position is the middle of the explosive charge length. The middle detonator position significantly improves rock fragmentation. The fragment size \(\times\)50 was reduced by 11-24% in the field tests. An experimental study of rock fragmentation under different stemming conditions [24] uses model explosions to study grindstone composition. Nine blasts with cylindrical granite specimens were carried out under different stemming conditions. All the similar works, for instance, refs. [25; 26], present a relationship between the parameters of drilling and blasting and fragmentation. Another great direction is the application of various approaches and technologies to rock fragmentation analysis by decoding images of rock pieces [27; 28]. For example, an article by [PERSON] et al. [29] considers the process of creating a deep neural network trained to predict the size of rock fragments from a photograph. A total of 61,853 images of blasted rock fragments were used to train and tune the neural network. A paper by [PERSON] et al. [30] presents the developed regression model for determining the average size of a lump and obtaining the rock pieces distribution. A work by [PERSON] et al. [31] is the closest to the idea of the present study. The paper uses integrated analytical modeling, finite element simulation, and image processing to investigate mechanical forces on rock fragmentation. The work identifies significant correlations between the fragment aspect ratio and its size and uniformity of distribution, highlighting the potential use of the fragment form as an indicator for evaluating the blasting performance alongside conventional grading analysis. The main hypothesis of the present study was the assumption that the analysis of the rock mass fragmentation at all stages of the production cycle in open-pit mining should be carried out. In this case, lumps of rock mass were used as products or materials.