INTERNET OF THINGS
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,
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
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 integrated mining solutions allow us to greatly
36 International Mining | NOVEMBER 2016