MINING SOFTWARE
Datamine has purposely developed its portfolio and capabilities to meet the future needs of its customers , according to Esa Immonen
software market , acquiring numerous companies on its way to becoming a powerhouse in both software and consulting .
Its latest purchase involved adding iRing , the creators of Aegis – a market-leading underground drill and blast package – to its vast offering .
An expansion into underground drill and blast planning software was the reason for this move , but Datamine ’ s wider corporate strategy is to keep its customers operating efficiently , according to Esa Immonen , Global Talent VP .
“ We support the drive to ensure our customers are operating at the most efficient point possible even with currently installed equipment ,” he told IM . “ This is done by taking a holistic approach – such as our mine-to-mill solutions – where the real energy and cost drivers are understood and managed across the entire mining value chain from an operational perspective .”
Immonen said this focus reflects the corporate approach mining companies are taking to their use of software , some of which may be driven by influences such as a heightened focus on ESG .
“ ESG has placed accountabilities on corporate
companies which is cascading through to the sites and operational level ,” he said . “ There is increased volatility and uncertainty , too , as new regulations are being designed to tackle issues such as climate change .
“ ESG is also driving greater transparency along the supply chain , such as the provenance of metals or carbon tracking , as customers demand to understand more about what they consume , eg is there metal from conflict areas , or potential for modern slavery or child labour ? This needs to be tracked and reported , so this is another area where we are providing solutions to the industry .”
Unsurprisingly – and in accordance with most companies IM spoke to in the software market – the most transformation in the mining software space is tied to generating total business visibility and ESG , according to Immonen .
“ ESG will continue to be a focus , as the market is driving the industry to understand and control its activities – whether it be the impact they are having on local communities or the carbon they are emitting as part of their process and logistics ,” he said .
Datamine has purposely developed its portfolio and capabilities to meet the future needs of its customers , according to Immonen , who mentioned not only the software offering , but also its expanding consulting business
“[ This ] provides our customers with the greatest insights to lead their businesses , not just operations with real focus on visibility , accountability , sustainability and safety ,” he said . An example of this comes in the form of the company ’ s Centric software , which pulls together an entire enterprise into one integrated ecosystem to present a view of a mine ’ s or series of mines ’ performance . This , according to the company , eliminates inefficient processes related to data acquisition , reporting and analysis that keep mines from realising their full potential .
Such a solution – along with many others in the Datamine portfolio – provides actionable insights to be evaluated , focusing on crossfunctional activities , according to Immonen .
Speaking of cross-functional activities , Datamine says it is open to collaborating with its customers and other third-party providers to ensure data flows freely throughout a mine site or corporate office for optimal decision making .
“ Our focus is on providing the best solutions to best fit the customer ’ s current and future requirements , tailoring packages which will deliver true cross-functional benefits ,” he concluded .
Out for transparency
David Batkin , Executive General Manager of Product Strategy at RPMGlobal , says many of the M & A targets in the software space have been populated with mine planning solutions that offer the sector new-found levels of transparency .
“ For miners and contractors , planning helps to provide the transparency that is being called for by the wider community and gives management and shareholders confidence that they are on the right path ,” he told IM . “ For OEMs ( who have been very active in the M & A space ), planning software provides the first step towards
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FEBRUARY 2023 | International Mining 33