Lessons from the past
facility . The main benefits of outsourcing this task is that it reduces the strain on company or mining department staff usually tasked with capturing historical data . As a result of the current worldwide economic downturn , most of these departments , especially the geology departments , have embarked on retrenchment programmes and other cost-saving measures . The number of bursaries has also been reduced . As a result , junior staff are not always available to undertake these menial activities .
Having an extended full operational history database aids in the ease of data analysis . Extraction and reporting provide significant time saving for users when locating data or generating required reports . It also allows for timely decisions based on accessible and accurate real-time reports . Digitally captured data and spatial interpretation can also assist operators to assess why previous operators might have left mining pillars or why specific areas were not mined . The inclusion of historical data also increases the confidence in the ore body and can be used to improve category classifications of ore resources .
The quality of the captured data should be reviewed on an ongoing basis , with a 10 % re-check interval . Using the experience and skills of qualified geologists and engineers also ensures that ‘ sanity ’ checks and interpretation reviews can be done as part of the data capture exercise , for example holes located outside the lease area or incorrect stratigraphic succession between holes . This reduces the overall risk and cost of poor quality or lost data . It also gives you the confidence when making decisions to know that it is based on data you can trust .
The last issue to be addressed is data that was electronically captured when databases were introduced . The data may have been captured into a format or database platform that is no longer in use or available . This would require the data to be converted into another format . It may also have been captured onto devices such as floppy disks or stiffy drives — port types not provided on current computer models . Compact discs ( CDs ) and DVDs are also reaching the end of their commercial lives . The other risk pertaining to old storage devices is data degradation over time . As the floppy and stiffy disks age , the data integrity decreases . The retention life on CDs and DVDs is slightly longer , but still affected by bad storage conditions .
As an added benefit , there is always the potential that historical data may indicate the position , mineralisation type , grade , and other significant information of forgotten mineral deposits . Historically , a number of the larger mining house explored large tracks of land for mineralisation but did not develop it . These properties have been released or sold off under the new ‘ use it or lose it ’ mining rights legislation . By examining the historical data , it may yield a treasure chest of geological information . Junior exploration companies or the original company can quickly re-examine the potential of the prospect or deposit for development . b
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