Despite operating in an 
increasingly challenging economic environment, software solutions provider Micromine has emerged as one of the few mining and exploration software providers still investing substatially in research and devel-
opment (R&D) and product 
development in the global mining and exploration industry.

Combined with below-target production, financial pressures on mining operations are becoming a familiar picture in mines around the world. 
The need to effectively manage grade reconciliation and coping with growing skills shortages have become key issues 
requiring urgent attention by mining companies.

“We are focusing greatly on R&D in these difficult times, as innovation is the key to value creation for our clients. Our mining solution, Pitram, in particular, can have a positive effect on cash flow management immediately,” 
says Micromine CEO Peter Rossdeutscher.

Capital expenditure reduction is one of the first focus points, after safety, for many operating mines planning to stay solvent.

“Pitrams’s scalability, not only in functionality and price, but also in its ability to function across a diverse array of communications platforms, has placed it 
at the forefront of financially 
viable fleet management solutions delivery for mines of all sizes,” Rossdeutscher explains. 

“This product ensures that pro-
duction requirements are met on the back of limited or no commu-
nications infrastructure,” he adds. 
 The product has been used for the communications infrastructure at gold-miner Barrick Gold’s Buzwagi mine, in Tanzania, which has a fully automated data capture system.

Rossdeutscher adds that the Pitram’s real-time, or end-of-shift, management reports, 
material movements and personnel key performance indicator tracking tools allow mines of all 
sizes and budgets to manage 
their sites effectively and productively.

“Pitram was also able to identify that the mining process was causing a bottleneck at mining group Exxaro’s Glen Douglas dolomite mine, in Meyerton, Gauteng. 
“As a result, Exxaro introduced an additional mobile crusher to aid in the processing of ore, saving the operation significant amounts of time and money,” he adds.

“With the latest version of Pitram, we have included a fully scalable solution to reduce the upfront cash outlay, thereby 
enabling both large and small mines to benefit from this cost-effective solution. 
“This can easily be upgraded in discrete steps, when a business expands.”

Further, this scalable approach can be tailored to suit any size mine, meaning that no mine is too small to consider a fleet management system. 
“Through a detailed requirement analysis, Micromine can tailor a solution to suit a mine’s budget and requirements,” Rossdeutscher concludes.