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Innovative tech solutions, optimised business plans will ensure success of mining companies

DAVE BODY
Commodity demand from India is expected to increase significantly over the next ten years, providing hope for the global mining industry

DAVE BODY Commodity demand from India is expected to increase significantly over the next ten years, providing hope for the global mining industry

18th September 2015

By: Ilan Solomons

Creamer Media Staff Writer

  

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Introducing innovative technology solutions and implementing optimised business plans are crucial to ensuring the success of mines, particularly in the current challenging economic and operating climate, says global infrastructure software manufacturer Bentley Systems solutions executive Dave Body.

He points out that, if an item is not grown, it is highly probable that it would have to be mined, which indicates that, despite the current challenges facing the mining industry, it is a crucial sector that is not going to “just disappear”.

Body says there is “hope on the horizon” for the global mining industry, as commodity demand from India is expected to increase significantly over the next ten years.

However, he points out that a major challenge that miners globally can address is the declining productivity levels at their operations.

“It is critically important for mining companies to get more out of their employees, equipment and existing infrastructure to ensure that mines are run at optimal efficiency levels,” Body stresses.

He highlights dual-listed mining giant Anglo American’s FutureSmart initiative as an example of a mining company actively seeking to improve all aspects of its operations.

The initiative aims to tackle the industry’s main challenges, including declining mineral-grade deposits, productivity levels, outdated operating models and technologies, as well as capital overruns.

FutureSmart’s three strategic focus areas of improvement centre on technological innovations and changes in corporate culture to encourage creative thinking and create a holistic approach to change in the global mining sector.

Body also points out that diversified mining giant Rio Tinto’s Mine of the Future programme aims to create “next-generation” systems and technologies to enable the company to become a global leader in fully integrated, automated mining solutions.

The programme also aims to advance the ways in which deep mineral deposits are extracted, while reducing environmental impacts and improving worker safety levels.

Body says that, similarly, Bentley is assisting the industry by providing it with new software solutions to support the introduction of new technologies at mining operations. For example, the company is assisting a mine in Western Australia by introducing autonomous trains from pit to port, and autonomous trucks and autonomous blast hole drill systems.

“This mine is spending about $500-million in retrofitting its locomotives with radars, sensors and new software for autonomous driving functionality. Bentley is undertaking configuration management of these locomotives to ensure that . . . existing . . . and new software are compatible with each another,” Body explains.

He also highlights that the company’s mining group has focused significantly on advancing its interoperability solutions using the Bentley MineCycle and ProjectWise software applications as the backbone for these developments.

Body was speaking at the 2015 Bentley Connection event, in Johannesburg, last month.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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