MINING SOFTWARE focused on the E and G of ESG – for the market .
“ Sandvik software solutions help customers to run their operations more efficiently than before ,” he said . “ As an example , the OptiMine software platform , and the new modules launched in recent years , provide a real-time view on what ’ s going on in an underground mine , including tools like short interval scheduling and production tracking .”
This transparency helps reduce mining risks , increase equipment use and improve safety in many parts of the mining operation , according to Pulli .
“ By making operations more predictable and optimised , process waste is removed and this , obviously , has a positive impact on a mine ’ s environmental footprint ,” he said .
Further optimisation – from mine planning to operations and back – is likely to be developed that will further improve the environmental footprint , while new software capabilities to develop digital twins of the mines will help customers identify and control potential hazards and risks before they materialise , Pulli predicted .
“ One example is software that will help customers design and build fully-electrified mines ,” he said , referencing the incoming abilities of Deswik ’ s software .
More broadly , he saw the growth of the company ’ s wider offering – focused on automation , electrification and digitalisation – as having a “ positive impact on both productivity and ESG ”.
Advancing sustainable software solutions
RPMGlobal is all too aware of the influence ESG issues are having on the mining software space , with many of its solutions factoring in all three elements .
The company sees almost every product in the mining space being developed to incorporate ESG objectives of its customers , noting that very few software areas do not link to an organisation ' s ESG goals .
In November , for example , the company further advanced its simulation platforms , HAULSIM and SIMULATE , to support hybrid vehicles that are powered by green hydrogen or hybrid diesel .
The hybrid vehicle functionality , developed in partnership with Tier-One miners and OEMs within the mining industry , enables users to simulate and test multiple scenarios including vehicles that use hydrogen or hybrid diesel , according to RPM . This is particularly useful for organisations looking to decarbonise their mining operations that are after a way to quantify potential options , the company said .
The hydrogen / hybrid diesel additions came on top of the company , earlier in 2021 , bringing battery-electric and trolley-assist simulation into the HAULSIM and SIMULATE fold following two haulage electrification proof of concept studies
RPMGlobal ’ s hybrid vehicle functionality , developed in partnership with Tier-One miners and OEMs within the mining industry , enables users to simulate and test multiple scenarios including vehicles that use hydrogen or hybrid diesel , according to the company
for a major mining company in Australia and for a client in Indonesia .
RPM ’ s simulation solutions use a discrete event simulation engine specifically designed for the mining industry , contrasted with the base case simulation solutions the industry typically uses as a yardstick to measure any changes to the haulage network , road rules , mine layout or vehicles .
Richard Mathews , Chief Executive Officer of RPMGlobal , said the global decarbonisation effort has created demand for RPM ’ s simulation solutions that can assist with “ answering questions that you simply can ’ t answer in a spreadsheet ”.
He added : “ With mining companies across the world pledging to quantifiably improve their
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FEBRUARY 2022 | International Mining