Australia-based mining software solutions and services provider Micromine launched the latest version of its exploration and mine design solution software, Micromine 2014, last month, in Johannesburg. This exploration and mine design solution is the fifteenth version of the application, which enables users to capture, manage and interpret critical data to support the mineral extraction process, from the initial exploration phases to the final operation phase, says Micromine Africa customer services manager Craig Peek.

Micromine 2014 is hosted on one platform, which simplifies its use for geographic information system (GIS) geologists who quantify the orebody and for mining engi­neers who create mine optimisation plans and schedule the life-of-mine, he says.

The new version includes 730 updates and 310 new enhancements, of which the latter was partly based on users’ suggestions and requests, adds Peek, noting that the solution is “not a luxury, but a critical business solution for users”.

Further, he believes there is significant opportunity in Africa for Micromine 2014, as there are about 531 grassroots operations and 699 operating mines on the continent.

Micromine MD Wally Borovac agrees, adding that, based on feedback from the com­pany’s robust beta testing programme – which enables clients to test the software, as well as the market’s initial reception of the product – he is “confident of Micromine 2014’s success”.

Product Features
While Micromine 2014 comprises exploration, resource estimation, mining, surveying, pit optimisation and scheduling modules, Peek highlights several new enhanced software features. These include 15 statistical and charting tools and a significant update of statistical functions, with a graphing functionality providing improved visuals and increased user interactivity.

Two three-dimensional (3D) displays, pit, surface and road design tools and switchback options have also been added.

Other features include block model display options, including interactive block visibility. Users can display or hide blocks in the model by dragging sliders on a histogram of data values, while new drill hole-aligned hatches provide more visually appealing results by aligning patterns to the drill hole traces, Peek explains. Micromine 2014 has also been converted into a full 64-bit application, enabling users to use all available memory on their computers and to work with more data.

Further, the software comprises new wire-framing modules. “The wire-framing module provides tools for creating the solids and surfaces used for advanced exploration and geological modelling, resource estimation and mining. The module also builds wire­frame shapes to represent orebody inter­pre­tations and underground workings,” adds Peek.

Meanwhile, the implicit modelling module, enhanced for Micromine 2014, enables users to create and visualise complex wireframe models.

The module uses industry standard radial basis functions to model faults or surfaces, grade shells and lithology intervals from drill holes, point clouds and polygonal boundaries. It supports trend models to accurately reflect a project area.
However, Peek believes this module provides another key advantage, as it exponentially reduces the time used to draw orebodies and orebody cross sections to scale.

“Mines are trying to implement technology to save time. The change from when a geologist spent days to draw orebodies to digitally creating them in seconds, which is provided by Micromine 2014, is quite significant.”

Micromine resident geologist Pieter Fourie agrees, noting that the software functions just as well for a junior exploration company as for an operating mine, adding that there is no inevitable loss of information that generally occurs when mining project phase information is moved between different software programs. As mining is a complex industry, software packages also tend to become more complex, Fourie notes, adding that this increases workload complexity and work time, and that company members might find it difficult to understand information extracted from different software programs.

“Therefore, a software package for the mining industry should be a tool that enables professionals to complete their work more easily and more efficiently,” he stresses, further emphasising that Micromine 2014 is easy to use, provides a user-friendly interface, increases productivity through automation features and reduces human error.

Peek points out that the software is compatible with exporting and importing data to and from third-party software packages, such as GIS, Google Earth and ALS Core Viewer, as well as other mining applications.

Technology Awareness
Micromine reinvests a significant percentage of yearly revenue into its research and development programme to ensure the latest technological advances and timely software releases and updates.
However, the company also focuses on educating future mining professionals by providing the software for tertiary institutions, Peek says.

The Micromine Academic Licensing Scheme provides a complementary full network licence for 20 or more users, any new releases that might become available during the year and one year of technical support, as well as information and training sessions for faculty staff and students.

Currently, two universities in Tanzania and the University of Stellenbosch, in the Western Cape, are using the Micromine 2014 software as part of the syllabus.

“By providing the Micromine software for students to develop 3D geological modelling expertise, more employment opportunities are created for local mining professionals at international mining companies that use this software,” Peek concludes.