INTERNET OF THINGS
“ Mining companies are looking to experience the digital transformation that has brought operational stability , enterprise agility and improved business performance to other industries ,” said Marni Rabassó , Vice President Natural Resources Industry , Dassault Systèmes . “ Dassault Systèmes offers a diverse set of solutions to the mining industry that stems from decades of technological expertise . With ‘ Perfect Order ,’ mining companies will uncover hidden value in increased efficiency of the supply chain , which also improves the customers ’ delivery experience .”
Specifically , the ‘ Perfect Order ’ industry solution experience provides a single source of truth that connects all planning decisions , from mine to port ; improved shipment forecasting and logistics planning integrating market demand forecasts , availability of commodities at minesites , and the capacity of transport networks as well as predictive intelligence that leverages historical data and causal factors such as price and GDP ; and real-time key performance indicators on the impact of planning decisions that allow for rapid adjustments to be made to keep deliveries , specifications and budget on track . It also has the ability to match supply and demand to resource capacity , “ maximising fulfillment of contracts and resulting in fewer penalties and an improved customer experience .”
Trimble rolls out its Connected Mine
Trimble has released its Trimble ® Connected Mine™ Visual Intelligence module with support for mixed-reality technology including Microsoft HoloLens to provide visual collaboration of mine spatial data . “ Trimble Connected Mine is an integrated and complete view of mine data to improve and accelerate operational and strategic decision making . Visual Intelligence is an optional module that enables the 3D visualisation of Trimble Connected Mine data . With a proven track record of enterprise-level implementations in some of the largest mines worldwide , Trimble is transforming the way mines work by combining mining expertise , spatial technology , business analytics , visualisation and decision support tools to enable mining companies to fully optimise their resources for safe , productive and profitable mining . The portfolio includes mine information systems , planning and productivity applications , intelligent devices and technology infrastructure .”
Trimble Connected Mine provides a live web environment for data to be collected and presented in easy-to-read tables , graphs , dashboards and spatial views . It enables a wide range of administrative and operations data to be connected and consolidated across language , currency , commodity , unit of measure , time zone and location , which can be viewed from a single software solution .
“ With Trimble Connected Mine Visual Intelligence , management teams can be more confident in making key decisions by using a validated set of inputs and unique visualisation that allow both strategic and detailed scenario planning . Visualisation quickly reveals outliers , with options to review historical data quickly .”
“ Using Trimble Connected Mine Visual Intelligence with Microsoft HoloLens provides an interface to our data that has massive potential ,” said Johan Smet , General Manager of Trimble Mining . “ It enables mining professionals to improve collaboration and communication by visualising and interacting with high-definition holograms of the mine .”
“ This powerful but practical technology delivers immediate value to mine management and confirms Trimble ’ s commitment to provide innovative measurement , reporting and decision support solutions for the industry ,” said Smet . “ Trimble ’ s broad technology portfolio delivers revolutionary analytical tools to mining management teams and tailors those tools to the type and size of their operations .”
Using Microsoft HoloLens and Trimble technology , mine management can clearly visualise large spatial datasets to rapidly identify exceptions without the need to visit the site , improving safety and reducing the need to travel . Trimble Connected Mine includes a range of reports including material , product , delay , budget tracking and KPI dashboards that can be personalised for a fast deployment and are flexible to align with most mine workflows . “ Now , the CEO , COO , mine manager , business improvement manager and metallurgist can share the dataset to examine and solve issues from a single data source .”
For remote operating centres , Trimble Connected Mine offers an immersive environment to understand workflow and site issues . Trimble Connected Mine offers a platform that aggregates geospatial data and production data . The immersive 3D environment adds visual context to the operational data and allows stakeholders to view operations in safety from remote operations centres and offsite locations .
HoloLens extends interaction with 3D models beyond the confines of a 2D computer screen , creating new ways for the many stakeholders of complex , multi phase construction and mining projects to visualise , collaborate , share ideas and manage change .
Mastering big data
Hexagon Mining believes that mastering big data is the key to a successful digital mine . “ Tough economic times mean companies no longer seek partial solutions to make their mines safer and
more productive . Now the foundation for success is one digitally integrated solution that harmonises data from surveying , monitoring , planning , operations , and safety .”
Nowhere is this digital future more apparent than at Grupo México ’ s Toquepala mine , high in the Peruvian Andes . Grupo México has partnered with Hexagon Mining to make sense of big data and set new standards for integration and optimisation .
Toquepala is the fifth-largest copper mine in the world , measuring 2.5 km across and descending more than 700 m into the earth . In 2015 , the mine won approval for a $ 1.2 billion expansion of the pit , which will double the mine ’ s processing capacity . “ Grupo Mexico foresaw tough economic times and decided to integrate Toquepala ’ s operations and planning technologies ,” said Hexagon Mining President , Hélio Samora . “ By unifying systems and cultivating these synergies , Grupo Mexico knew it would be better positioned to weather the downturn and selected Hexagon as a partner in this alignment strategy .”
Grupo México Senior Technical Adviser , Enrique Sanchez , explained the company ’ s recipe for managing big data . “ We are constantly working to improve , integrate , and optimise our processes for mining operations , utilising key technologies ,” said Sanchez . “ For many years we have relied on Hexagon Mining ’ s Jigsaw system for fleet management with much satisfaction .”
“ Grupo México has invested over $ 2 million in modernising our processes and our operations and teams . For example , in the past we would transfer materials to the crusher via train or trucks but today we leverage a system of conveyor systems and tunnels , of more than 2 km in distance , which sends materials directly to the crusher in this case . The purchase of equipment and technologies leveraging Jigsaw systems has been especially important in Toquepala , where in the past few months we have installed Jigsaw systems with much success .”
Grupo México is also a long-time user of Hexagon Mining ’ s MineSight Planning Suite . Toquepala ’ s engineers use MineSight Economic Planner to determine economic pit limits , incremental pit shells , and plan preliminary pushback creation . They use MineSight Schedule Optimizer for short-term , mid-term , and longterm planning .
“ MineSight systems help us optimise our production for maximum gains that correspond to the overall value of the mine . Hexagon Mining ’ s state-of-the-art technology is critical to our strategy . The idea is to have a single system for monitoring and standardisation of the automatic cycles , as well as the dynamic systems for increased optimisation of production . Hexagon ’ s
International Mining | NOVEMBER 2016