Tiebaghi is just one of Eramet’s existing mining centres, located on New Caledonia’s west coast, 400 km north of Noumea. This is one of the many mines around the world where Universal Sodexho is the camp manager. The company is a world leader in mine camp management with other contracts in the Andes at Antamina, in Russia at Kinross’s Kubaka gold mine, At the Argyle (Australia) and Ekati (Canada) diamond mines, and at Oxiana’s operations in Laos, to note just a few examples.

Kubaka makes extensive use of Sodexho services

Sodexho’s clients operate mining ventures in remote and challenging locations. The major challenges with which Sodexho assists are to:

• Overcome the difficult logistics created by the lack of infrastructure around most deposits.
• The mining companies want to demonstrate their commitment to the economic and social development of local communities surrounding their projects and ensure that their operations have the lowest environmental impact possible.
• One of Sodexho’s latest developments is the SOKeez multi application smart card aimed at simplifying camp and jobsite operations. SOKeez helps with more specific client changes to:
• Ensure that employees live in a safe and secure environment, even in the most remote locations.
• Monitor the flow of employees to and from the jobsite.
• Secure access to certain restricted areas.
• Minmize adminstrative hassles.

For each of the clients’ and other contractors’ employees on the site, Sodexho creates and manages a SOKeez ID card that stores personal information: digital picture access control profile and client and sub-contractor differentiation. Optionally, the card may hold medical information and records of safety training and certification.

The card manages access control and allows security checks. With SOKeez, clients can identify their own and other contractors’ employees working and living on the site. The card can also be used with hand held PC scanners for real time routine security and spot-checks. This lowers administrative costs linked to tracking information flows. It monitors mess hall activity, accurately screening mess hall attendance and providing reports of meals consumed. This allows control of the consumption of services.

SOKeez serves as an electronic wallet, creating a cashless community. On site personnel can make cashless payments in commissaries, restaurants and other points of sale. It is a flexible solution and can also be used to track major fixed assets such as clients’ vehicles.

It is a system that is adapted to harsh conditions. Because it is a contact-less system, information on a SOKeez card cannot be erased by accidental proximity to strong magnetic fields. Also, the contact-less technology prevents poor conections caused by oxidization of contact pads, chemicals or humidity. Finally, the SOKeez solution ensures easy and flexible data transfer using a range of technology including Pocket PC, WiFi, and Ethernet cable networking when in place.

It is a tool that provides reports and regular statistics (camp occupancy rates, meal consumption, man hour summary by population, etc.)

At Barrick Gold’s Bulyanhulu mine in Tanzania, for instance, it was installed at the client’s request following several security events involving cash management. SOKeez is used as an electronic wallet to limit the cash circulation on the mine site.Over 300 people there use the SOKeez card daily. Thanks to SOKeez, Sodexho manages a convenience store with full security