Micromine Africa, an end-to-end mine-solutions provider, has been awarded a R3,3-million contract from the Namdeb Diamond Corporation. The contract involves the installation of an automated mine-control solution at the Namibia-based mine, which is made up of Micromine’s PITRAM and DOME product offerings. Micromine GM Mark Williams explains that PITRAM is a mine production-management system that records and controls mine site operations and DOME, which is a relatively new product on the market, offers a Web-based informationmanagement system that provides a flexible and efficient environment for validating, storing and accessing data from diverse software applications and sources.

The primary objective of the Micromine solution is to increase production at the mine, but, more importantly, the system will decrease Namdeb’s costs by effectively managing the mine’s resources and flow of information. Williams maintains that the project will be rolled out in a phased approach, with a fully-trained live handover expected within four months.

He says that the solution that Micromine is providing will manage Namdeb’s fleet, equipment, personnel, and maintenance. In addition, the systems that are currently being used at Namdeb will be integrated into a single automated system when PITRAM is installed. This provides the mine with a centralised database system, thereby improving transparency and communication within the mine. What is more, the reporting function of the DOME solution will enable Namdeb to keep a record of everything that happens on the mine, allowing it to be proactive in its operations, and the real-time solution will allow engineers to react immediately.

Essentially, the solution will eliminate the need for the mine to manually capture data, as information is automatically captured and stored online, in real time and without human error. What is more, this data is immediately made available to the relevant decision makers and it provides the user with 100% accurate information. Williams says that the Micro-mine solutions offers Namdeb Microsoft-based product development and makes use of nonpro- prietary hardware, supplied locally by Storm Logistics, and there- by reduces cost and turnaround times. Once the project is complete, Micromine will provide Namdeb with its Micromine Support Solution, which includes a 24/7-managed service offering, first- and second- level support, access to on-site quali- fied technicians and shared information from similar global clients who have already found answers to potential challenges. This ensures that the solution is running at optimum capacity. Micromine brings together global experience from 13 branches and more than 120 employees worldwide. This project marks Micromine’s footprint in the African market and it proves that there are costefficient mine-control solutions available.

Williams concludes that most people know what value these types of systems add to an operation, but many believe that it is too expensive and difficult to justify.

Currently, the 15 operating mines in Namibia contribute 20,8% of Namibian gross domestic product (GDP), and, after the dip in 2003, the percentage growth in the industry has been impressive. Diamonds account for more than 30% of Namibia’s total exports and 10% of the nation’s GDP.

Of these, Namdeb is by far the country’s largest diamond-mining company. Today, this thriving organisation is one of the key drivers of Namibia’s economy, being the largest private employer, exporter and taxpayer.

Namdeb is owned in equal shares by the Government of the Republic of Namibia and De Beers.

Namdeb’s predecessor, Consoli-dated Diamond Mines, was a wholly- owned subsidiary of De Beers until 1994. Since joint ownership took effect, Namdeb has continued to recover diamonds and generate employment for Namibian citizens. The revenue generated has played a central role in building the social and physical infrastructure of an independent Namibia.

In 2004, the company’s production of 1,86-million carats was 28% higher than in 2003, and included record marine production of 865 000 carats.

Globally, diamond prices have continued to improve building on the good price performance of 2004.

However, Namdeb is a mature operation as diamond-mining started in the region as long ago as 1920.

The emphasis is now on opti- mising the resources available to the company to ensure at least another 20 years of profitable oper-ation.

In early 2003, Namdeb invested N$400-million in the Resource Extension Project at its Elizabeth Bay mine, situated 25 km to the south of the town of Luderitz.