OptiMine®, a modular set of digital tools from Sandvik “delivering transparency and control to your underground mining operations”, is evolving with a new performance-enhancing data analytics solution. OptiMine® Analytics is the next generation of OptiMine®, transforming data into process improvements via predictive insights and actionable dashboards embedded into your operation management systems.
OptiMine® Analytics “enables mining companies to gain operational improvements in their mining process, providing easy-to-use real time and automated dashboards with comprehensive process overview to drive process improvements. OptiMine® improves planning through data-driven simulations and then continuously optimizes production cycles with real-time data. By drilling down into the Overall Equipment Effectiveness, OptiMine® Analytics intuitively pinpoints bottlenecks and areas for fleet and operation improvement in terms of mechanical availability, utilisation and the quality of production. Insights into operator actions improve safety by identifying areas for training proactively.”
OptiMine® Analytics draws and utilises data from other OptiMine® digital tools including Monitoring, Location Tracking, Scheduler and Task Management, as well as other mining and maintenance systems. The Sandvik proprietary predictive models make process optimisation easy. OptiMine® Analytics processes source data from many mining management systems and equipment as well as from the global Sandvik connected equipment fleet. With the combined equipment and application data, OptiMine® Analytics automatically analyses patterns in the information and enables development of mining process efficiency improvements. Always having up-to-date equipment health information enables safer fleet usage, thus reducing potential risks.
OptiMine® Analytics can be enhanced with 365 OptiMine® Services for mining process optimisation. “Together with the mining experts, Sandvik data scientists will assist mining customers to find critical points in their mining process and turn findings into actions. This comprehensive analytics solution is developed in cooperation by both miners and contractors in their hard rock underground mining operations.”
The underlying technology platform is a result of a close technology partnership between Sandvik and IBM. “IBM’s world-leading analytics platform together with predictive modelling skills enables Sandvik to channel its vast mining and equipment operational expertise into a form which makes it easy and efficient for all OptiMine® customers to access years of insight on mining optimisation and turn it into actionable process improvements.”
“Analysing the data from mine operations and embedding the created descriptive and predictive insights into process optimisation solutions transform managing a mine into a fact-based, data-driven operation,” says Riku Pulli, Vice President Business Unit Automation at Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology. “This unlocks the full potential of production and reveals the bottlenecks currently hiding in the data. Taking the discovered potential and applying it into action, together with our mining application experts, ensures that the opportunities are realised to improve and optimise mining processes and productivity. Over the development process, we have identified the value of this unique combination of engineering knowledge and Sandvik global fleet data to produce predictive models that are at least 40% more precise than models built without these assets.”
The solution has been developed and proven in use with the cooperation of global mining customers. Commercial agreements of OptiMine® Analytics are already in place with Petra Diamonds’ Finsch mine in South Africa and Barminco in Australia.
“We embarked on this project with Sandvik as a trusted partner,” says Alex Holder, Group Technical Service Manager at Petra Diamonds. “They understand the mine’s challenges and were willing to put skin in the game to develop the solution. The major impact at Finsch mine has been to allow us to track performance of both machines and operators, track the completion of various tasks, minimise potential delays and then reassign resources during the shift. We now have the ability to change to Plan B on the fly. Predictive maintenance and other predictive algorithms will in the future reduce the need for implementing a Plan B.”
“Leveraging data is becoming increasingly valuable across the mining sector,” says Paul Muller, CEO Barminco. “Through analytics, machine learning and AI, we are seeing new possibilities for increased operational efficiency. Barminco is working to maximise these efficiencies and utilise actionable insights that the data analytics will produce across our international operations. Our partnership with OptiMine® Analytics allows us to fast-track our efforts, leveraging Sandvik’s whole-of-fleet data and innate machine knowledge.”
“OptiMine® Analytics is an ideal analytics and process optimisation solution for customers who are looking for the most advanced and versatile suite of digital tools to improve the overall mining process. With OptiMine® Analytics you can reduce costs, increase productivity, improve safety and make smarter decisions using predictive insights now, as well as in the future.”