MINING SOFTWARE
“ Where the annual block modelling process typically took several months to complete , IGO geologists found machine learning much faster , resulting in more time for training less experienced core loggers ,” Coloma said . “ In addition , the machine-learning model returns an objective measure of uncertainty in the geological model , which is likely to be useful in mineral resource classification and mining reconciliation work .”
Modelling all possibilities
GEOVIA CEO , Mauro DelleMonache , puts the recent M & A glut in the software space down to the entry of a set of “ nimble ” organisations with shorter “ ideation cycles ” able to quickly bring their offerings to the market .
This has stimulated an interest in M & A , he claims , bringing with it new-found dynamism the whole sector is benefitting from .
Alongside this , there has been significant change on the demand side of the mining software business .
“ The mining sector has traditionally been seen as risk averse , with many of the companies perceived to be in the ‘ swim lane ’ of technology developed specifically for mining ,” he told IM . “ What I have seen over the last several years is mining organisations starting to implement technology , thought processes and capabilities from adjacent industries .”
GEOVIA , Dassault Systèmes ’ natural resources and urban planning division , is benefitting greatly from this , bringing its modelling and simulation design and virtual twin learnings in industries such as aviation and manufacturing to the mining space .
“ We are finding there is some openness from the mining companies to start looking at those technologies and seeing how they can apply in mining ,” DelleMonache said . “ For us , that is of great benefit as we have this expansive toolkit .
“ It is now a matter of continuing these dialogues with companies , showing them how these solutions could be of benefit to their organisation and working together to realise the value of applying them .”
These dialogues are increasing in regularity around mining company ESG evaluations , with GEOVIA and Dassault Systèmes offering input for educated decision making on considerations such as resource evaluation , mine design , mine production and more .
“ Our brand has a promise of modelling the sustainable planet ,” DelleMonache said . “ We realise that , in the mining context , the more criteria you can include , the more value we can bring to these models .”
This has seen the company break down the silo mentality often observed within mining and create a collaboration platform for all aspects of a mining operation – from exploration and mining , to processing and closure .
“ If you were to break down those barriers , you create visibility of the entire system and the flow from exploration to rehabilitation ,” DelleMonache said .
“ The only way you can do that is get your organisation to collaborate – externally as well as internally . The challenges in adopting a piece
of software suggests it is likely to fail , yet , if you adopt a spirit of collaboration around a defined solution , the likelihood of value generation is that much greater .
“ That is something we are advocating for in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform .”
This platform connects people , ideas , data and solutions in a collaborative environment , offering a “ single version of the truth ” to anchor outcome-based processes and capture all activities in one place , according to the company .
The platform is aiding collaboration within the context of the Electric Mine Consortium , which includes 23 members made up of mining companies , vendors and service suppliers , all looking to accelerate progress towards the fully electrified zero CO 2 and zero particulates mine .
GEOVIA is providing access to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform for the Electric Mine Design working group , working with several members to model and simulate what this futureproofed mine could look like .
DelleMonache says this type of collaboration is representative of the right approach towards decarbonisation and electrification . The findings will allow the wider industry to obtain a glimpse into how they could implement such changes at their own mine sites .
He explained : “ The consortium allows you to generate these small-scale references with several industry partners to provide the wider industry with something tangible .”
DelleMonache is confident the company ’ s 3DEXPERIENCE platform will become even more sought after with mining companies seeking to
Isatis . neo : resource estimation and mine reconciliation
Principally dedicated to resource estimation , Isatis . neo , the reference geostatistics software by Geovariances , is also being used across the sector for mine reconciliation .
The Geovariances consulting team regularly helps mining companies implement automatic workflows combining Isatis . neo batch and Python coding to update their resource models periodically . These workflows can be enhanced with custom and simplified user interfaces , ensuring they can easily run as a background process .
“ Coupled with some training by Geovariances , they permit mining operators to feel confident in independently running the routines in the planned intervals ,” the company says .
Geovariances has worked on several projects in this guise , with one assignment for a uranium mining company that required a routine to allow their global mining operations to update in-place ore volume estimations . This saw Geovariances develop a workflow to calculate the ore volume in each stratum by comparing the topography of the open pit at two dates . A specific user interface was also proposed to the teams .
Another example of this type of collaboration comes from the company ’ s work with a major iron ore producer that sought a solution to update its resource models on a weekly – instead of monthly – basis to improve the decision-making process regarding the destination of the mined materials . Geovariances developed automated routines based on Isatis . neo batches and Python coding that , it says , have performed consistently .
An example of the user interface for model updating in Geovariance ’ s Isatis . neo
The software provider also applied the same process for a valued goldproducing client , looking to establish an automated update method for both medium- and long-term underground mine modelling .
The company concluded : “ These examples show that the programming capacity of Isatis . neo geostatistical software , reinforced by Python scripting , makes users capable of implementing customised workflows for resource estimation and periodic updates . Multiple tools and a flexible programming structure makes the software relevant for diverse mineralisation types and diverse operating practices .”
30 International Mining | FEBRUARY 2023