MINING SOFTWARE
vehicle support in its next software release , with enhanced functionality enabling clients to model production rates , state of charge rates , battery swap / charge options , trolley infrastructure placement , etc slated for subsequent releases .
“ More broadly , we are showcasing fuel optimisation opportunities across our software portfolio , which , again , is helping companies optimise on their way to achieving net zero ,” he said .
Goddard , excited by what lays ahead for the company and the opportunities Hexagon can present mine operations , says the ability to integrate sensors and operational software with the mine planning and modelling platforms will drive the continuous optimisation loop that mines require to achieve their net-zero goals .
“ This will , in the future , be automated , with clients taking the full technology stack benefitting from a continuous improvement loop that lowers costs , increases productivity , improves metal recoveries , lowers energy and water consumption , and more .”
Software for the mining value chain
Micromine continues to branch out of its geology-focused origins with a software offering that goes all the way to the run-of-mine ( ROM ) pad .
At the same time , it retains its founding intentions of creating solutions for specific roles in the mining value chain .
“ What that means is that , instead of saying we have one tool to do everything – which has historically been the basis for many new innovations across industries – we are now providing specialist software solutions ,” Jeremy Hanrahan , Product Strategy Manager – Micromine Mining , told IM .
“ This is the governing philosophy of how we provide solutions ,” Hanrahan says – a philosophy which , he adds , aligns closely with the industry ’ s own needs .
“ One of those key needs – reflective of the journey the mining sector is on – is that there is a skills shortage , but , more than that , there is an increase in the agency and mobility of professionals in the mining space ,” he explains .
The model of ‘ doing your time ’ across the mining value chain to reach mining engineer status no longer works in this resource-starved employee backdrop .
“ Now , you could accelerate to become a senior mining engineer within only a few years of coming into the industry ,” Hanrahan says . “ This is great for people accelerating their career , but it means there is less time for them to perfect the skills previously carried out shadowing experienced engineers in the past .”
Micromine aims to provide mining operations with improved confidence and efficiency in resource modelling , mine planning , mine scheduling and operations .
“ We support the evolving needs of customers by identifying and simplifying the analysis and automation needed at every part of the mining lifecycle ,” Hanrahan says . “ At a basic level , this means we don ’ t put an underground tool in front of an open-pit engineer ; we have specialised software dedicated to different commodities , mine approaches and lifecyle stages .
“ We also remove the ‘ noise ’ associated with decision making by ensuring our tools are both intelligible and comprehendible , thus , improving the reliability of the outputs .”
Such processes allow for optimisation across every part of the value chain , from drill hole to ROM pad .
This integration is best seen through the lens of Micromine ’ s recently launched Nexus platform .
Micromine Nexus is designed to connect and orchestrate workflow tools , while providing data security across the entire ecosystem .
Already available for geology customers with Micromine Origin , Micromine Nexus will soon be available with Micromine Geobank , Micromine Beyond and Micromine Alastri .
Micromine Nexus is key to providing the “ compliance to plan ” verification and analysis that allows continual process optimisation for clients , according to Hanrahan .
“ There are no longer any hardware restrictions , and cloud-based platforms are allowing us to reflect the realities of what goes on underground or in the open pit within seconds ,” he said .
“ When we then incorporate artificial intelligence ( AI ) into the mix , the improvement opportunities for clients are close to endless .”
This ability is letting mining companies model increasingly autonomous and electrified operations , providing emission benchmarking of haulage options , for instance .
Micromine Alastri ’ s Haul Infinity solution and Tactical Scheduler is being used for exactly this , with companies modelling haulage scenarios involving diesel-powered , battery-electric , hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle cycles , according to Hanrahan .
“ As long as we know the specifics behind how the energy is provided , we can include such vehicles in the modelling ,” he said . “ We can then provide an output to show the associated carbon footprint of each option alongside – for batteryelectric equipment – a chosen battery charging or swapping cycle .”
As the industry for renewable energy sources evolves , modelling will only get more powerful and accurate , helping mining companies achieve net-zero targets .
“ There are so many changes coming with the decarbonisation movement , which will present new market opportunities for Micromine ,” Hanrahan says . “ At this stage , we are giving clients the chance to ask questions through modelling scenarios that they can routinely run .
“ We are providing the tools for the change we all know the industry needs to make .”
Leveraging a Virtual Twin framework
The lifting of limiting technology factors mentioned by Hanrahan is opening a virtually limitless range of possibilities to enable leaps in productivity , according to Gustavo Pilger , WW GEOVIA R & D Strategy & Management Director , Dassault Systèmes , who compared the current innovation climate to that experienced during the first Industrial Revolution .
Pilger ’ s insights are of interest given that Dassault Systèmes has been developing digital solutions for 12 industries , including mining , for the last 40 years .
“ Our purpose has been to provide businesses and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations capable of harmonising
Geology Modeler is an established Role in the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform , which counts with an original and proprietary engine for implicit modelling
International Mining | FEBRUARY 2024