MINING SOFTWARE
Maptek Resource Tracking supports operational business improvement by delivering data in-shift where and when it can be acted on , according to Eduardo Coloma
operations span the levels of being autonomousready , Modular Mining is committed to developing solutions across the automation spectrum , including offerings specific to truck spotting , assisted operation ( including active blade control ), payload management and more .”
What next ?
Automation is only part of the story . Now armed with oodles of data , an open mind
about breaking down operational and data silos and some spare cash thanks to an upturn in commodity prices , the industry requirements are vast and varied .
Modular Mining says it is being tasked – and is ready to deliver – a whole suite of optimisation solutions for mining companies . Miners are putting pressure on them to not only deliver data , but to make it “ relevant and actionable ”.
RPMGlobal says powerful simulation capabilities that miners can use for their own internal projects are often requested . A recent example of this is a solution to simulate electric vehicles with an aim to quantify different haulage options for an operation , Beesley explained .
“ We are working with industry partners ( OEMs and mine operators ) to ensure that we are able to model all options available in this shift towards a carbonneutral future ,” he said .
The company is also increasingly asked to come up with solutions that not only augment existing expertise within the mining company environment but fill in some industry skill gaps .
“ With a shortage of mining engineers in a lot of countries , together with limited capabilities in CADbased design products , RPMGlobal ’ s Strategic Design Optimiser tool combines the complex tasks of optimised stope and development design into a single , coherent automated process ,” Beesley said . “ SDO uses parametric design principles and optimisation algorithms that enables users to make small tweaks to designs in one area that lead to the change rippling through the rest of the design — a task that would otherwise take days because each edit would need to be done manually .”
Maptek ’ s Coloma says the company is continually seeking to understand the customer challenge first and then find the right technology or a better way to solve it with an expanding array of tools . This is where the development of sophisticated algorithms is helping it deliver higher-level optimisation and an integrated approach to areas such as mine scheduling .
This demand for enhanced optimisation tools has led to the development of Maptek ’ s BlastMCF solution , which , according to Coloma , optimises drill , charge and timing designs to suit site conditions and desired outcomes . Engineers can evaluate the options presented that provide trade-offs between multiple objectives such as cost , fragmentation , vibrations and powder factor .