Mining software consulting com- pany MineWare has once again broken new ground in writing tailored software that tackles the needs of the challenging international mining environment.

MineWare is in the process of improving its centralised production management (CPM) software, currently used by gold producer Goldfields’ South Deep shaft.

The MineWare team travelled to Australia with Goldfields to gain insight into the requirements of a short-term monitoring system for trackless wide reef mining.

By drawing on experience gained there, MineWare was able to produce a local management system written to international standards by a South African team.

MineWare senior business analyst Iggy Fasen says that the trip to Australia has been invaluable.

“We came back with a better idea of how we could improve our system and better meet our client’s needs,” he says.

The revamped CPM system will use the latest technology with regard to data capture and monitoring and will be designed in a Web-based environment. The new system will be fully customisable in its design, incorporating new ideas and newly introduced technology and will be supported by the MineWare team of industry specialists.

The system, in addition to monitoring shift by shift activities, will keep checking on equipment activities, down time and general mining conditions. Equipment use and monitoring will be ongoing and will link automatically to the reef production pro- cess. An inventory of the tons marked, drilled, blasted, trammed, hoisted and milled will be an integral part of the system, as will grade analysis and control.

The system will incorporate provisions for various levels of planning – from the business plan level, through the six-month rolling plan to monthly call planning and, finally, a daily activity plan. The new CPM system will close the loop on problem handling by alerting and monitoring all resolutions, summarising overdue activities and highlighting unresolved problems to the correct level of authority. The system is designed to draw attention to problems reported and any deviances from the plan.

The improved CPM system allows relevant personnel to access the Web-based system, giving them peace of mind and total control even when they are out of the office.

“Our aim is to provide a tool that enables management to do their jobs more effectively, by giving them direct access to relevant information. We design software that puts control back into the hands of the appropriate personnel,” says MineWare MD Paul Saker.

The CPM system simplifies planning and management for any mine and is the ideal solution for any big mining operation.