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Tim Horsley, Mining Manager at globalspecialist consultancy Coffey Mining, sayshe stops work when he cant save a client asubstantial amount of money in an hour of mineoptimisation analysis. He told IM that mineoptimisation doesnt need to take a lot of time orbe an expensive exercise, but has very realpotential to add significant value, sometimes inthe order of hundreds of millions of dollars over

the life of an operation. However, he warns thatsuch gains can only be made by looking at thebig picture of the entire operational process.

Mine optimisation should be approachedfrom a broad perspective, as it is rarely the casethat parts of the process can be optimised inisolation, he said. If you specifically focus onone part of the value chain there is a risk oftransferring costs or reducing revenue elsewhere.

Horsley believes in a balanced approach tomine planning, emphasising that it is vital to workwith understanding of the synergies that exist

between different areas within a mine project.Synergies between the processes can add ordestroy value and so it is vital that the projectprocess is assessed from the in-situ resourcethrough to cash revenue generation. There is asignificant amount of value to be realised bybeing able to model and understand thesesynergies, particularly with respect to thedefinition of ore locally within a mine and howthis impacts on productivities, costs and thedownstream processes, he said.

This is particularly important in an undergroundmine where the orebody geometry can have asignificant impact on the mine layout and productionefficiency. For example, having a more flexibleapproach to cut-off grade can allow for more stablestopes that are easier to drill and blast, resulting inhigher production capacity and lower costs.

Horsley said that by looking at both the miningmethod and the equipment used from a broaderperspective, losses in the chain can be moreclearly identified and potential improvementsmade from there.

Although the resources downturn meant thatmany mine operators are looking to make savingswherever they can, Horsley believes that mine

optimisation is such an important process that itshould be prioritised by organisations throughoutthe price cycle.

The key to a mines longer term viability is tomaintain a continuous focus on optimisation ingood times as well as bad, he said. A thoroughstudy can provide compelling ways of streamlininga mines current operations and would provide alife-of-mine optimisation model which can beperiodically updated, and optimisations re-runwith minimal effort. Keeping such a modelcurrent provides a valuable tool for scenarioanalysis planning and allows a mine operator toreact very quickly to changing circumstances.

According to Norman Lock, Coffey MiningsRegional Manager - Canada, it is the cashed upcompanies that often neglect to pay attention tooptimising value and keeping costs as low as

possible in good times. The first things to go in adownturn are exploration and drilling, and so it isthe organisations that have planned for thecyclical nature of the industry who will survive andsee the cycle out in relatively good shape.

Just as no battlefield general would go into afight without a backup plan, planning for adownturn and optimising your operations so youare running to peak efficiency in good times aswell as bad is the most prudent managementstrategy.

Donald Polly, Senior Mining Engineer at Skelly

and Loy, notes the benefits of a well-designedmine are extraordinary, ranging from operationaladvantages, such as shorter haul distances andless waste handling, to economic gains for theoperator. Without proper planning, reserves maybe sterilised unnecessarily and it may be difficultto meet certain product grade requirements. Ablock model is one of the tools used by Skelly andLoy in mine planning when site geology andproduct grade are variable. Within the context ofa mining operation, a block model refers to athree-dimensional graphical representation of thephysical and chemical properties of the mineralresource, Polly explains.

Depending on the site-specific needs of theoperation, the block model can be as detailed oras generalised as so desired by the operator. Theprocess for creating a block model begins with a

SOFTWARE AND PLANNING

ine optimisationBig savings can be made onthe bottom line. As companiesget back to basics after theglobal financial crisis, mineand project planning return tothe fore. John Chadwickexamines new ideas andproducts with an eye tovisualisation, integration andoptimisation

18 International Mining N0VEMBER 2009

New Whittle NPV Practical Push Backs moduleenables push backs to be created in a single step

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drilling and sampling program and is followed bydata analysis, and then input into appropriatecomputer software that generates the 3D blockmodel.

Carlson 2009 (CAD-based software) is themost widely used design and mapping softwarein the mining industry. In the summer of 2008,Skelly and Loy worked closely with Carlsonrepresentatives to revamp the softwares blockmodelling capabilities to meet or exceed currentmining industry standards.

The detailed block model discussion can befound at http://www.skellyloy.com/Pressroom/ MiningPortal/mp/Volume VII, Issue 3 Portal.pdf

Maximising NPVDatamine has been taking a fresh look at mineoptimisation. Three years ago we asked our

customers what concerns them most about mineplanning, explains CEO Nick Beaton. Andalmost every time it boiled down to the sameissues - orebody knowledge, optimised minedesign and integrated production scheduling. Soweve been making radical changes to ourproducts and consulting services to address thesebasic needs.

Datamine started by rethinking the block model.Most mines use models comprised of twocomponents: geological structure and metalgrades, but todays thought leaders are using much

more sophisticated models that includegeotechnical and geometallurgical parameters aswell, adds Technical Director, Andy Lapworth. Sowe have worked with those leaders to developtools for what we call multi-parametric models.

Datamine has been collaborating with AngloPlatinum in South Africa and The WH BryanMining and Geology Research Centre (Universityof Queensland) to develop techniques andsoftware for 3D modelling of geotechnicalparameters. It has wrapped the technology andthe techniques into an integrated service offeringand working with the Bryan Centre has nowtaken the technology to mines all around theworld.

With a detailed model of the maingeotechnical parameters like RMR rock massrating, UCS uniaxial compressive strength, FF

fracture frequency and rock quality domain,engineers can achieve a whole new level of mineoptimisation; slope design can be altereddynamically depending on the position,orientation and depth of the proposed pit, saving

millions of dollars in waste extraction over minelife. Datamine has made changes to DatamineStudio block modelling, and to NPV Scheduler, itsstrategic open-pit planning system, to generatepits and pushbacks using dynamic slope designsthat are optimised to the modelled geotechnicalparameters.

The geotechnical models can also be used toderive short-term improvements by optimisingfragmentation profiles to operational activities.Datamine has reworked its blast design softwareGeotech Modeller so that individual blasts use aBlastability Index to adjust the spacing, chargingand detonation according to the demands of thelocal geotechnical model. It claims customers haveseen the optimised fragmentation profiles improvethe loading rates of shovels at the face as well asimprove throughput times for ore in the SAG mills.

It sounds simple but the approach is quitesophisticated. The first stage is to collect all thegeotechnical data in the mine into one databaseand then determine the location of (and controlson) the geotechnical domains within the orebody.


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Once those have been established, sophisticatedgeostatistical techniques are used to model rockproperties within the domains and add them tothe multi-parametric model.

Each project is reviewed by experts from theBryan Centre to ensure the model is calibratedand workable. They also work with Datamine toassess whether the data coverage is patchy or outof date in order to establish a sustainablegeotechnical model for the customer.

As part of this initiative Datamine has alsoformed an alliance with the CSIRO in Australia tointegrate the Sirovision product into its datacapture line up. Sirovision is a new technology forautomated remote mapping and capture of rockmass properties and it is one of the tools toensure the geotechnical model is kept alivewith new data.

Collaborating with the top research bodiesaround the world is a deeply seated philosophywithin Datamine. For the last three years it hasalso been a sponsor of AMIRAs P843 project forGeometallurgical Mapping and Mine Planning(GEM III). This project (and the follow on P843aproject) is doing for geometallurgy what hasalready been done in the geotechnical arena enabling detailed 3D models of multipleparameters all a part of modern mineoptimisation. Datamine has developed casestudies with the research team and is already

actively working on bringing geometallurgicalmodelling tools to the market.

It has also been sponsoring AMIRAs P884PRIMO (Planning & Rapid Integrated MineOptimisation) project that aims to bring the typesof optimisation tools available in open pit to theworld of underground mining. The first productsresulting from that research are emerging now,with Mineable Stope Optimiser (MSO) currentlybeing released around the world. This automatesthe detailed task of finalising the design ofunderground stopes within an identified ore zone.

This is a great product, says Datamines GeneralManager in Australia, Brad Barker. It is theperfect follow on for our very popular MineableReserves Optimiser and takes the back-breakingwork out of stope design.

No one has a monopoly on innovation, saysLapworth. So we look for areas of expertisearound the world. We have always had a knackfor commercialising the work of developmentpartners such as GijimaAst and Century Systems.Our next product to be released shortly wasdeveloped by the Canadian research instituteMIRARCO, so finding leading research,collaborating with the developers on the softwareand commercialising it around the world is a coreskill for Datamine. In all cases the software isreviewed very carefully with the originaldevelopers and then amended so that it

integrates seamlessly with the other products inDatamines solution footprint.

James Newland, Operations Manager inDatamines R&D centre in England brings anotherperspective to this. We recently released ourInteractive Short Term Scheduler (ISTS) which is agreat product. Its for short term open pitscheduling and can schedule right down to ashift-by-shift basis driven by the engineer co-ordinating production targets, the availableshovels, the maximum truck hours and of coursewhat blast blocks are available in the next fewdays or weeks. It gives the planner completevisual control of every aspect of the schedule,while at the same time giving them automatedtools for blending and optimisation.

Newland elaborates further, Most of themining technical products on the market are

single user, practitioner software systems. Thereare a lot of sophisticated software tools availablefrom Datamine and our competitors, and theymay be targeted at geologists or the mineplanners, but they are used by individual users,not groups of users working as a team.

Newland is correct, these products arent reallyenterprise systems the way ERP systems are. Theymay be used by the resource management teamor the short term planning team, but in the endthey are single user systems and co-ordination isup to the team. It is a bit like everyone trying to

use the same Microsoft Excel file at the same timeto complete the company budget.

This where Datamines new MineTrust productcomes in. This is a real breakthrough, saysMineTrust Project Manager Mike Lafferty.MineTrust is the glue that holds all of thesesystems together, whether they have beendeveloped by Datamine, by our partners or even byour competitors. Every mine has lots of productsfrom different vendors. MineTrust is the frameworkfor data management and process workflowmanagement for all of them. It can convert any

product in mining into a multi-user system, and dothat over a LAN, a WAN or a global corporatenetwork. Our customers will fire up DatamineStudio and see it as the product they are familiarwith, but within a fully managed multi-userenvironment.

MineTrust should become a major tool formine optimisation. It will allow teams tocollaborate and follow the same processworkflows regardless of their level of skill with theindividual products. The system is strong onvisualisation and allows users to search for, andthen visualise, the data and files of many of theindustrys well known products. It also allows theuser to define workflows for how processes suchas generating block models, creating blast designand performing scheduling tasks. This is the wayof the future, says Newland.



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Underground design packageInternational engineering and projectmanagement company, AMEC has chosen toincrease its use of Maptek Vulcan software formine planning and mine design applications.AMEC supplies high-value consultancy,engineering and project management servicesand considers Vulcan to be a proven 3Dgeological modelling and mine planning packagewhich remains at the forefront of innovation inmining technology solutions.

Newmont Mining has selected the MaptekMineSuite production management information

system for its Leeville and Midas undergroundgold operations in Nevada, USA. It is intendedthat MineSuite will fulfil requirements forincreased productivity and performance byproviding shift managers with real-timeinformation on production as well as the status ofequipment, delays and assignments. Decreasedmaintenance downtime is another key benefit ofthe system. This results from accurate reportingand the ability to receive real-time maintenanceinformation in the underground environmentduring the current shift..

Stratified specialistsGemcom Software International has releasedGemcom Minex 6.0, which it says is the onlyintegrated end-to-end mining software specificallydesigned for coal and other stratified depositssuch as lignite, phosphate, bauxite, iron ore, andplatinum. Minex fully integrates all aspects ofmining from exploration through rehabilitation,ensuring that resources are evaluated accuratelyand mined efficiently, improving productivity andprofitability throughout the mining lifecycle.

Minex provides us with an integrated system

for surveying, modelling, planning, and blast designso we can manipulate data and interchangeinformation freely. Any kind of manual re-entryalways opens up room for error; the same holdstrue if youre exchanging data electronicallybetween systems with incompatible formats. Minexhelps us avoid these risks, said Steven Sides, VicePresident of Technical Services, Carbones delCerrejn. Minex helps Cerrejn develop effectivemine plans that can be utilised to make prudentbusiness decisions. It gives us an important edge aswe compete with other producers around the



Effective mine scheduling is a critical part of any

mining operation, especially in today's economy.

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Improve your development process

Make the most out of your assets. Use SimMine for optimised resourceplanning and scheduling of underground development. Make sure yourdevelopment project is completed on time within budget.

SimMine Development Package is an easy-to-use and powerful software to plan, simulate and evaluatethe development process in underground mining. By using SimMine as the method of vericationof plans, you will get more accurate results than from commonly used spreadsheet based schedulers.SimMine can be used both for existing and future mines. www.simmine.com
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world. We are only as good as the vendors thatserve us, and Cerrejn is very fortunate to partnerwith a company like Gemcom.

Effective mine scheduling is a critical part ofany mining operation, especially in today'seconomy. Minex 6.0 incorporates new, feature-rich capabilities in this area. The software provides

mine planners with more scheduling options withthe addition of detailed interactive schedulingcapabilities to the system. Using this approachallows the creation of schedules by interactingwith 3D graphic displays generated directly fromseam models, pit designs and reserves. Users alsohave the option of scheduling to meet volume ortonnage requirements in a given period.

Smart scheduling of layered deposits, usingtools specifically designed for the task, can be thedifference between an operation being viable,and one being marginal or losing money. Minex

provides numerous scheduling tools to help ourclients get the most from their mines, whileefficiently planning the costly extraction of wastematerial, said Mark Godresse, Technical ProductManager Stratified Deposits, Gemcom. With thedepth of scheduling capabilities inside of Minex,mine planners have the industrys most robustrange of decision making and communicationtools available to them. For example, they can runmultiple what-if scenarios to find the bestscheduling options and then watch and shareanimations that accurately represent what theschedule will look like, enabling the identificationof potentially costly problems.

Additional benefits of Minex 6.0 include: Developed specifically for coal and other

stratified deposits, providing a decision-makingenvironment that reflects the reality of these

kinds of operations and the needs ofgeologists, engineers, surveyors and otherswho drive them

Rapid modelling of all stratified deposit types,including large, deep and complex data-intensive coal projects. Minex's high-speed andefficient modelling technology offers significanttime and cost savings over other miningpackages

Lower total cost of ownership through theintegration of geology, optimisation, design,

planning, scheduling, survey, rehabilitation andother functions

Visual confirmation of each stage of themodelling and design process to ensure fullconfidence in the final model, resources andreserves

Reduction of data duplication by easilyconnecting to corporate databases andcommon file and data storage formats,including GIS, CAD and other mine planningdata.

See it as it isVisualisation is one criterion that is settingcompeting systems apart these days. VentsimVisual has accumulated many plaudits from thoseusing it and seeing it. It features a fully 3Dgraphics interface with scaled airway solids orwireframes. It offers super fast and smoothrotation and scaling regardless of networkcomplexity. It allows the colouring of airways byflow, pressure, elevation, cost, heat and dozens ofother data types for easy visual analysis andinterpretation. It is fully editable in 3D with anatural easy to learn 3D interface and has manynew features such as full thermodynamic heatsimulation, economic airway size predictor,recirculation predictor, and variable speed fansthat can be switched on or off. It remains fullycompatible with all Version 3 network models and

can import VnetPC files and DXF graphics files.Beck Arndt Engineering (BAE) is also generating

great interest for its visualisation developments. Ina step change beyond traditional processes,Abaqus finite element analysis (FEA) softwarefrom SIMULIA (the Dassault Systmes brand forrealistic simulation) is being used to enhance minedesign and engineering simulation in North andSouth America, Africa and Australia to evaluatesafety and improve design planning,implementation, and operations. BAE is a pioneerin this area. The consultancy has worked closelywith engineers at SIMULIA Australia to expandthe use of Abaqus FEA simulation software formining applications.

BHP Billiton is among the early users of mine-ready FEA technology. With BAEs help, BHP hasalready applied this technology to evaluate mines

in Canada and Australia. At the BHP Billiton NickelWest Perseverance Deeps project in WesternAustralia, Abaqus FEA software is now being usedto help engineer the safety and productivity ofplanned deep-mining operations.

To achieve this goal in the deep-miningenvironment requires significant technologicalinnovation. Using measurements of site deformationand seismicity, Abaqus FEA models have beencalibrated and, in a single day, used to simulate a full,3D, inelastic analysis of a mines life cycle.

In recent years, similar applications at

Debswana's Jwaneng mine in Botswana, theNewcrest Mining Ridgeway Deeps project in NewSouth Wales, Australia, and Rio Tinto's Argylediamond mine in Western Australia have alsoestablished Abaqus FEA analysis as a leadingtechnology for multi scale, simulation-aidedmining engineering.

Another one popular for its visualisation attributesis GijimaASTs mineORBIT, which has receivedmuch praise for its visual tools. GijimaAST GlobalMining Solutions aspires to be No.1 in the worldin the mining technical systems market, according

to HighGrade (September 21-27). It is closelylinked with Britains Datamine.

Dynamic mine planningRunge has received two patent rights (No2006279250 and No 200800449) related tothe methodology of the overall frameworkcalled method and system of integrated mineplanning of its enterprise solution, MiningDynamics. The process has been pioneered byRunge for over four years and has proven toimprove predictability of mining operationswhich have a high degree of dynamicvariability. The methodology couples businessprocess execution with comprehensive accessto information. Any information from geologythrough to mine engineering/planning/ scheduling, operations and reconciliation can



The visualisation achievable through Ventsim is

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be easily visualised, interrogated and reportedto the executive, operations and systemsmanagement teams.

Glen Kuntz, Runges VP Enterprise MiningSolution says: The overall methodology andsystem patent can be summed up as the threeCs of simplicity - communication, co-ordinationand collaboration to deliver the rightinformation to the right people at the righttime. This methodology provides the ability toquickly collaborate in order to harmonise newideas, win support and deliver ground breakinginitiatives. These in turn generate short andlong-term growth while significantly driving acompetitive advantage.

Mine planning is non-linear and dynamicand the use of Enterprise Resource Planning(ERP) systems is widespread. Whilst predictable

supply inputs have been successful in the useof ERP systems, mining operations are differentand have inherently unique characteristics. Theplanning components of ERP systems,designed for other industries and deployedwithin a mining operation, are not suitablewithout the direct coupling and integration ofspatial mining information with transactionalfinancial information. In order to achieve thislevel of integration Runge has formed businessand technology partnerships with ERPcompanies, such as SAP.

Kuntz continues: Successful miningoperations depend on the availability andreliability of information in order to makecritical every day decisions. Because of thecomplexity of mining data and the spatialcharacteristics associated with it, rapiduniversal access to trusted and accurateinformation has traditionally been difficult.Basing decisions on data that is misplaced, notuniversally accessible, out-dated, or incompletecan at best become a bottleneck in thedecision making process and at worst beoperationally and financially devastating.Mining Dynamics reliably co-ordinates andmanages both the common and unique datatypes associated with any mining operationand enables the integration, visualisation, andcomprehensive management of the wide

variety of mining data, regardless of its originor software platform.

When it comes to mine development, theSimMine Development Package is easy-to-useand powerful software to plan, simulate andevaluate the development processunderground. SimMine says that by using thesoftware as the method of verification ofplans, you will get more accurate results thanfrom commonly used spreadsheet basedschedulers.

It allows users to test long- and short-term

schedules ahead of time to see if developmenttargets can be met, and also to comparedifferent scenarios to yield an improveddevelopment schedule. It also provides for: Analysis of multiple infrastructure scenarios Identifying critical paths and critical start

date in development projects Evaluating best shift schedules to meet

development rate demands Testing what priorities will best achieve your

development goals Simulating drift development with both

single and multiple headings for long accessdrives

Finding the most cost effective way todevelop a mine and finding the optimalfleet size, number of operators and bestshift schedule

Reducing bottlenecks and equipmentconflicts

Determining the effectiveness of changingfleet size, either by acquisition or removal ofequipmentNo programming skills are needed, nor use

of outside consultants expertise. The first stepis to import your existing mine layout, designthe simulation model and set your parameters.Then create your development plan accordingto time limits, predecessor and priority. Step 3is to simulate your development plan and



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evaluate the results and then, find the bestsolution by using the SimStat function or by

performing repeated tests.You can watch ongoing operations (e.g.

daily operations, development progress andequipment movement) animated on the screento validate equipment assignments and sectionpriorities. This allows analysis of machineinteractions and development delays for betterunderstanding of the statistical resultsgenerated by the model itself. You can analysedevelopment delays due to equipmentdowntime and the effects of maintenanceimprovements. Animation allows management

to view proposed changes and provides ameans for greater buy-in by the managementteam. It also provides an educational tool forteaching operators and supervisors how thesystem will operate. Management, scheduling,maintenance, and operational strategies canbe explored with increased understanding ofthe complex interactions that exist in thedevelopment process.

Currently SimMine is only available forunderground development, but the company isdeveloping modules for production and a openpit module will also be developed during 2010.

UpgradesMintecs flagship software, MineSight, is acomprehensive suite of powerful analytical,planning and design tools that enable mining and

geology professionals to manage the entirelifecycle of a mining enterprise. During the recent

economic downturn Mintec significantly rampedup production of new features and applications.The vision was simple: to ensure our clients hadthe tools needed to work even more efficientlyduring difficult times. The company now offersmany improvements and new features in itscurrent software packages.

The most recent addition to the alreadypowerful suite is MineSight Drillhole (MSDH).Conceptualised as a repository for life-of-minedrillhole and blasthole data, Mintec says MSDHhas set the bar far higher by providing on-the-fly

editing and query, browse, and filtered searchcapability. MSDH has rigorous data integrity andvalidation, plus extensive auditing and datasecurity functionality.

MineSight Schedule Optimizer (MSSO)generates medium to short term schedules thatsatisfy all project quality and quantity constraints,destination capacities, equipment resources, andeconomic parameters. In addition to its ability todetermine cut mining sequence, which achievesthe highest project profitability, MSSO alsoincludes the capability to work with multiple orecases, multiple material cases, and variable benchheight models.

Another exciting addition is the introduction ofMineSight Axis (MSAxis). Available in fourseparate modules, MSAxis unites variousMineSight tools to provide true business



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intelligence to the professionals in the different, and highly specialised, partsof the mine process. MSAxis Drill & Blast and MSAxis Grade Control arealready in use worldwide and Mintec expects the release of the final twomodules, MSAxis Production Management and MSAxis Reconciliation, in thenear future.

MSAxis Drill & Blast unites the tools of the blast engineer, providing quickattribution and reporting of blasthole data. The ability to rapidly view and editblast area-of-effects offers more efficient planning, thus saving operationalcosts.

MSAxis Grade Control simplifies the process of acquiring information, cutplanning, and daily reporting, freeing grade control engineers to spend more oftheir time making the important decisions.

MSAxis Production Management is being designed to help operations withmaterial tracking and other in-mine processes. Being able to follow materialdestinations on a truck-by-truck basis enables detailed stockpile reclamationon a level previously unattainable and helps prevent misrouting which cancritically diminish profitability.

MSAxis Reconciliation will allow for great flexibility in reporting. Drill and

model reconciliation, resource leak, and model inconsistency reports can beproduced in a few short steps.

MineMap recently completed an upgrade of its Mine Design SoftwareMineMap. The company notes that as one of the earliest developers ofmining software we are critically aware of the importance of maintaining aclear understanding of what clients want - an easy to use, reliable,competence and cost effective mining design package that can be used for allcommodities and phases of an operation from green fields explorationthrough mine design to rehabilitation for both open-pit and undergroundmines.

Gemcom has released Gemcom Whittle 4.3, the latest version of itsstrategic mine planning software for open pits. Whittle is very popular with

exploration and mining companies because it enables them to determine theirinvestment strategy and to deliver robust mine plans that maximiseprofitability by taking into account real mining constraints.

The development of robust mine plans that withstand the volatility ofprices, costs and demand is more important than ever and the re-evaluationof mine plans in today's market is a necessity, said Cindy Tonkin, TechnicalProduct Manager - Scheduling and Optimisation at Gemcom. For sounddecision-making, you need straightforward tools that allow you to analysedifferent alternatives and which produce trusted results. This means that allphysical and economic information must be available for easy review and thatusers must have the ability to ask questions about their input sensitivities andcarry out what-if or scenario analyses. Whittle allows such analyses to be run

easily and quickly, which helps save costs and drive mine value through theselection of a good planning strategy.

Samuel Takyi, Senior Mine Planning Engineer, Etruscan Resourcescomments on the benefits Whittle has delivered to Youga mine in BurkinaFaso. "Whittle helped us extend our bench across our orebody and comeup with new cash flows. We have increased reserves by more than 1.2 Mtin six months, and we expect extra years of production from the mine. Inaddition, merging actual numbers and operational parameters from ourblock models into Whittle pit optimisations onsite has mitigated the need tohire additional consultants. Creating one or two pit shapes and theassociated reports would otherwise cost about $30,000 in consulting fees."

Whittle has been designed for mine optimisation, which enables significantincreases in project value over and above pit optimisation. The softwareincorporates the strategic mine planning capabilities needed to achieve mineoptimisation: strategic scheduling; detailed cost, price and recovery modelling;stockpiles; multiple mines; blending; and cutoff optimisation.

New for Whittle 4.3 is the NPV Practical Push Backs module which providesa single-step process for creating push backs that address both maximum NPV


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and minimum mining width requirements. For alldeposits where minimum mining width needs tobe maintained, or the creation of push backs is anoption, this module is recommended to add valueto the decision making process by providing amore accurate NPV for each project. It providesnew methods for fast, effective push backcreation that enable practical schedules tobecome a standard part of the mine planningdecision-making process, allowing the fullpotential value of the deposit to be realised.

Intergraph has introduced the newest solution

of its SmartPlant Enterprise engineering softwaresuite, SmartPlant 3D Materials Handling Edition,to automate the design and modelling of bulkmaterials handling systems. This automates thedesign of conveyor systems and transfer chutes tothe rapid and easy creation or expansion of facilities.

New tools and streamlined menu options inMaptek Vulcan 8 help mine planners worksmarter and faster, the company says. Vulcan 8includes improvements to display options, file sizeoutput, auto-population of fields, floating panelsfor design and modelling, menu wizards and

customisable settings, said Eric Gonzalez, MaptekProduct Manager for Vulcan. We've revisiteddrillhole compositing, grade control, block modelestimation and coalescing. Theres a new surveyfield format, and new CAD and viewing optionslike smart snap and draw by hand.

Model projectHatch Associates won a 2008 Be Award ofExcellence in the Innovation in Metals and Miningcategory for Barrick Golds Pueblo Viejo miningproject in the Dominican Republic. The primarygoal of this complex undertaking was to designand build facilities for the extraction andprocessing of gold from a refractory sulphide orebody at a throughput rate of 24,000 t/d. The useof Bentleys PlantSpace and other intelligent 3Dmodelling tools enabled Hatch to save design

time and reduce the risk of rework in the field.Hatchs task was to create the first process step

in the recovery of gold. To successfully completethe project, the Hatch team needed to designfour large pressure oxidation vessels (autoclaves)as information became available withoutcontinuously redesigning the plant. In addition, ithad to overcome the sites space constraints bycreating the most compact layout possible whilemaintaining access and safe operation.

The use of PlantSpace and other Bentleyproducts allowed all disciplines to work

simultaneously while sharing design informationon a real-time basis. Hatch implemented a user-friendly 3D environment that allowed the team todevelop a compact layout, general arrangements,and isometric drawings by extraction; importterrain maps and structural steel and concretemodels; and produce integrated models fordesign reviews, presentations, and clash

detection. It also deployed Bentley software tocreate a central storage system that allowed fastinformation transfer across all design disciplines.

Commenting on the project, Murray Pearson,Lead Mechanical Engineer for the PressureOxidation Facility, said, The use of PlantSpace andother Bentley 3D products has greatly enhancedour ability to make the most efficient use ofavailable space in plant layout, produce cost-effective designs, visually demonstrate operationaland maintenance concepts to the client, and toconvey the construction methodology andsequence to the project team. It has saved theproject thousands of hours in checking, designrevisions, and drawing production.

Glenn Sakaki, Managing Director of ProjectExecution at Hatch, said, Without the assistanceof Bentley software, this project, which is veryimportant to the Dominican economy, wouldhave taken much longer to execute and wouldhave required more staff for coordination,checking, and supervision. Moreover, through ourcollaboration with other companies and ouremphasis on quality, we were able to optimise thistechnology and effectively deliver and supervisethe construction and operation of the facility.

As part of Intergraphs SmartPlant Enterprise suite of products, SmartPlant 3D Materials Handling provides the

capabilities needed to design a bulk handling system and

keep it as-built throughout its life cycle. It offers piping,

HVAC, electrical raceway, structural, plate work and

mechanical equipment modelling tasks, as well as a

specification and catalogue manager and a project

administration environment

Screen capture from Mintec's flagship software,

MineSight

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Database managementAfter extensive analysis of vendors Kinross Goldselected Century Systems Technologies, with itshead office in Sudbury, Canada, as its global

supplier of geo data management and collectionsolutions. The analysis was carried out by membersof the Kinross team including the DatabaseManager, Exploration Group and IT team to ensurethe correct solution was chosen. Century Systemsdevelops solutions for mining and explorationcompanies around the globe and currently has itssolutions deployed in over 43 countries.

Built on the premise of accuracy and efficiency,the Century Systems suite of solutions includesapplications for the collection and managementof all upstream geo data. From collecting drillhole

and surface sample data with DHLogger andSample Station respectively to mapping thegeological, geochemical and geotechnical featuresof open-pit and underground mines in 3D withMineMapper 3D, Century Systems data collectiontools are easy to use. Regardless of the modulebeing used, all data entered into the system isvalidated at the point of entry so at the end ofthe day, the data can be relied on for modelling,reporting, GIS, planning, and auditing purposes. .

Costing and reportingMolycorp Minerals, a U.S.-based rare earthproducer and technology company, hassuccessfully implemented, through MincomAccelerator, Mincoms core enterprise assetmanagement solution in approximately half thetime and half the cost of an average EAMimplementation. Mincom Accelerator is a pre-configured version of Mincoms core EAMsolution that includes finance, maintenance andmaterials management. The Accelerator is basedon Mincoms 30 years of experience in asset-intensive industries and its expertise in best-in-class business processes for those industries.

Molycorp selected the EAM solution as well asMineMarket, the only solution specificallydesigned to address the supply chain challengesfaced by the mining industry, due to Mincomsproven success with referenceable US-based

clients and its rapid and lower cost deploymentthrough Mincom Accelerator. Mincomsreputation as well as its deep expertise in miningguided our selection of Mincoms EAM solution,said Jim Camacci, Information and BusinessSystems Manager, Molycorp. We are pleasedwith our decision as the implementation wasdeployed in half the time at half the cost of other

large enterprise-wide software implementations,due to the technology as well as Mincomsprofessional and knowledgeable consultants whoinvoked good mining business processes.

In todays economic climate, businesses cantafford to waste time and money on long, drawn-out software implementations, said JohnBenders, Vice President, Solutions for AssetIntensive Industries, Mincom. This successful Go-Live underscores our commitment to developing,maintaining and supporting best-in-class solutionsfor asset intensive businesses so that our clients

remain competitive and agile in a challengingeconomic environment.

Nevsun Resources (gold and base metalresources) has completed its deployment of SkireUnifier for use in its $250 million Bisha projectin Eritrea. Unifier will provide comprehensive cost,document and schedule management capabilities,as well as advanced reporting, for project teamsbased in North America and Africa.

The Bisha mine and processing plant is locatedwest of Asmara, Eritrea's capital, and is expectedto be a long-lived, high-grade mine for gold,copper and zinc production. The initial oreproduction is forecast to yield high percentages ofgold and silver, which will deliver acceleratedreturn on investment. Production is expected tobegin in 2010. Project managers at Nevsun'sVancouver, BC headquarters use Unifier to

collaborate with project teams at the company'sEritrea subsidiary, the Bisha Mining Share Co.Other project stakeholders include the EritreanNational Mining Corp, a shareholder of BishaMining Share Co, and Senet, the South Africanengineering company that is providing EPCMservices for the mine. Unifier enables all teammembers to securely access up-to-the-minute

project information over the Internet formanaging cost accounting and reporting.

Skire Unifier and its hosting option enable usto provide comprehensive project managementcapabilities to users in a location with limited IToptions, said Peter Hardie, Nevsun's CFO. Itsflexibility and ease of use are indispensablefeatures in helping us successfully bridgeoperations across Vancouver, Eritrea and SouthAfrica. Unifier gives us highly efficient forward-looking project management.

Nevsun uses the Unifier Cost Manager to

establish project cost controls for internalaccounting and reporting for the Bisha project.The Document Manager allows everyone to sharedocuments and have access to currentinformation and project status. Vendor biddingand selection is supported through theautomation of an enquiry and adjudicationprocess. Budget management, order placements,change orders, invoicing and other businessprocesses are deployed in Unifier. Nevsun alsoloaded existing project data into Unifier, givingmanagers visibility into project progress andenabling them to co-ordinate efforts moreeffectively than had been previously possible.

John Leet, Director of Marketing for Skire explained:As the mine project moves forward, Unifier willprovide the company with robust cost controls and anew level of management efficiency. IM


The use of PlantSpace and other Bentley products on

Barrick Golds Pueblo Viejo project, allowed all disciplines

civil, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical, and

controls to work simultaneously while sharing design

information on a real-time basis. The design team

included more than 55 engineers, designers, and

specialists; five CAD systems and IT support personnel;

and up to 50 members in management, project controls,

procurement, and construction supervision. Central data

storage enabled fast, accurate, and up-to-date

information transfer between disciplines

Documents

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