MINING SOFTWARE
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The continual adoption of new software is allowing operators to gauge not only the value of data , but also the accuracy of the hardware used to generate it , Dan Gleeson says
The confluence of OT and IT appears to be closer than it has ever been , with the introduction of new hardware into the mining space underpinning the need to underwrite this with increased software oversight and the required layer of cybersecurity .
Akin to the requirement to break down silo mentality in the plant and pit , mining operations are realising that any ‘ disconnected ’ technology they choose now will inhibit their future goals around asset optimisation .
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Hexagon ’ s Mining division , which produces both the sensor technology and the guiding software , is all too aware of this . This is why it has a goal of ensuring there is a seamless connection between the mine plan and its execution , creating a feedback loop that allows for better , quicker and more sustainable decision making .
“ Ultimately , this approach will have a positive impact on our customers ’ revenue and costs , which , in turn , means we ’ re also being more sustainable with the resources we use , leaving a smaller footprint ,” Jesse Forgues , Head of Product , MinePlan , told IM .
Harnessing the offerings within parent company Hexagon AB , the company is pursuing this goal through several avenues , including artificial intelligence and machine learning , while leveraging decades of knowledge and experience building and executing mine planning solutions ..
Artificial intelligence ( AI ) and machine learning have been present in mine planning for some time , with the use of mixed linear interprogramming aiding in the mine planning process for over a decade , according to Forgues .
He sees these tools continuing to gain in popularity – especially for optimisation work in the long-term planning space – in line with an increasing number of potential use cases to augment the mine planning engineer with better decision-making capability .
A recent use case for AI in mining came from the company ’ s Blast Movement Intelligence ( BMI ) solution .
Launched last year in partnership with Augment Technologies , Hexagon BMI is billed as boosting blasting efficiency and providing high visibility into ore dilution for informed ore and waste delineation , post-blast . This leads to the safe production of an accurate block model of the muckpile and , ultimately , an uplift in yield , the company claims .
BMI ’ s powerful abilities come via the integration of an AI-based physics model that
Next Gen SHOTPlus ’ capabilities are a representative example of Orica ’ s advances in developing spatiotemporal digital twins to manage “ material , four-dimensionally through time and space ”, Matthew Craft says
allows engineers to accurately predict the movement of post-blast material in 3D , producing what the company terms as the “ post-blast muckpile ”. Such an asset provides the needed resolution to the grade control geologists around the ore and waste movements within the blast itself and gives rise to better decision making on ore and waste boundaries , ultimately increasing the resource that can be recovered , Forgues says .
This same AI model and its outputs have been integrated into the mine planning suite , completing an end-to-end workflow that benefits grade control geologists , according to Hexagon .
“ This not only gives them ( geologists ) better resolution and data for decision making , but , by embedding it into the workflow , we ’ ve drastically reduced decision-making times from hours to minutes ,” Forgues says . “ This ensures that the right information reaches the right people at the right time , allowing for faster and more accurate decisions .”
Hexagon has been looking at bringing digital and physical data together for decades , says Forgues .
“ As our resolution of that digital environment becomes greater and greater , we will see more use cases and applications across mining ,” he said .
This is where Hexagon ’ s reputation for
10 International Mining | FEBRUARY 2025