In mid-March 2015, Modular Mining Systems Inc (MMSI), provider of real-time mine management solutions, announced that Vale, the world’s leading iron ore provider, has selected Modular technologies for its Pico open-pit mine site in Brazil. This agreement marks the signing of Modular’s 250th customer mine, as well as more than 20 years of partnership with Vale.
Details of another recent MMSI customer are to be found in the article on surface drilling and loading in the April issue of International Mining magazine; which also covers the latest on MMSI’s MasterLink WLAN for mines.
In a meeting held on March 6 at the Pico Mine, Davi Freire, General Manager, Modular Brazil and Michael Lewis, VP, Product Innovation, Modular; presented Vale’s Alano Reis Teixeira, Mine Operations Manager, with a plaque commemorating the milestones. “Pico Mine has plans to optimise our operations and we expect that Modular’s mine management systems will help us achieve our goals quickly,” said Teixeira.
Modular’s partnership with Vale began in 1993, when the Carajás mine, Vale’s largest operation and producer of some of the world’s highest quality iron ore, became Modular’s first customer in Brazil. Since the initial installation, Modular has continued to deliver mine management solutions to a growing Brazilian market.
Over the years, Vale has implemented Modular’s technologies at 14 of its mines, worldwide. “The fact that Vale continues to trust and rely on us speaks volumes about the value that Modular products bring to their organisation,” said Lewis. “We are grateful for customers like Vale who, by providing valuable insights and contributions to our product development roadmaps over the years, have been instrumental in our ongoing success.”
“We are honoured that Vale has maintained such a long-standing relationship with Modular. We are committed to supporting Vale, and the mining industry as a whole, to help them meet and exceed their operational goals,” added Freire.
Upon commissioning, the DISPATCH® Fleet Management system will optimise haulage operations on Pico’s extensive fleet of trucks, shovels, drills, loaders, dozers and auxiliary equipment units. Additionally, the mentioned MasterLink® Enterprise solution will provide the operation’s wireless network infrastructure.
Dr James White, one of the founders of MMSI, was inducted into the International Mining Technology Hall of Fame this February.