One of the pioneers in Virtual Reality solutions for augmented mine tours for anaylsts, executives and other parties is UK-based Reality Check, which made a big step forward recently when it joined the London Stock Exchange Issuer Services Marketplace as their trusted platform for industrial assets tours. David van Eeghen, Realith Check VP Planning & Communications told IM: “The mark of trust in Reality Check’s ability to consistently deliver a high value service at a very competitive price point to clients operating in a very sensitive stage of their growth and evolution was a major win for us and a stamp of confidence in the technological progression supporting investor transparency.”
The company told IM that it has found the client response to Version 1.0 of its ‘live action’ (not digitally modelled objects) tours for presenting information in context to audiences with a broad spectrum of expertise very encouraging. “The mining sector clearly recognises the value of Virtual Reality through its flexibility of application to different use cases. The opportunity for asset owners to offer both event based and on-demand, scalable access to remote sites, enhanced with pertinent information is very powerful in facilitating responsible levels of transparent communications with multiple stakeholder groups.”
Van Eeghen adds: “As the asset owners become more aware of the value and potential applications of the data they already own, when put in context of a VR tour we expect to see the use cases to multiply beyond our initial proposals of IR and fundraising. This will be accelerated further as data sensor technology and associated transmission infrastructure matures.”
And the list of major clients is growing as well. Anglo American commissioned a Reality Check tour of their Minas-Rio iron ore Asset in Brazil. Reality Check delivered an augmented VR tour of the Minas-Rio and supporting infrastructure in time for Anglo’s Socially Responsible Investor day. The tour focused on two key areas of interest: the safety of the site’s tailings dam, and details of the reclamation work carried out on the 500 km pipeline transporting iron ore from the minesite to the sea terminal
“The key value add of the VR tour element of the presentation was the increase in engagement with the information being presented and improved clarity on context dependent points. Of particular note was the augmentation of the tour with details for the tailings dam construction method to illustrate its safety and maps of risk zones showing the disaster avoidance approach to community centres and staff infrastructure placement. The tour element achieved this by offering a rich, multi media and multi sensory experience of the points of interest that showed key information in context of the asset.”
Anglo American is also the first major client to fully commit to the Reality Check recommended ‘Best Value’ production and usage models. By using an in country camera team and drone operator, combined with augmenting the tour with pre-existing media, re-purposed for the task, the initial costs were minimised without compromise to the delivery of a premium tour experience. To get further value from the tour, it is also being used internally for the orientation of head office staff and will be a key foundation for wider public and investor engagement programs.
Elsewhere, Resolute Gold recently commissioned a Reality Check tour of their Syama gold mine in Mali. “Resolute bought in to the flexibility of application of a VR tour and the level of transparency and trust it delivers. Reality Check were engaged by Resolute Gold to produce, host and distribute a tour of their Syama Gold asset in Mali to support multiple programs including fundraising, developing Africa’s first autonomous mine (partnering with Sandvik); re-engineering elements from open pit to sub level caving methods and development of the Tabakoroni asset”
The Reality Check solution also supports community investment in economic, social and environmental programs like farming and kitchen garden projects as well as water resource management, health management, reforestation and even a human resources showcase of the onsite facilities for staff comfort.
“The Virtual Reality tour achieved these goals by filming a comprehensive site tour with over 150 media spheres, covering the primary pit as it was being re-engineered from open pit to sub level caving operations, augmented with digital models of the planned subsurface infrastructure, and key safety features such as survival pods, ventilation and water management.” Also included in the VR tour are a secondary pit in production phase, a recently drilled prospect, the tailings facilities and management, the onsite plant infrastructure, sulphide and oxide circuits, crushing and milling area, and onsite power and future grid connection work. But the scope goes beyond the industrial assets as the tour also covered the contractors camp including mess, refectory, accommodation blocks, 9 hole golf course and driving range, swimming pool, gym, rugby/football pitch and squash courts.
Finally, Knight Piesold are now using Reality Check’s VR tours and platform to keep clients appraised of mine closure progression. The specialist mine engineering consultancy used a Reality Check tour and distribution platform for reporting on the closure program for Pierina gold asset in Peru. “The ability to use the tour as a ‘live document’ that was updated with new information, as the closure project matured, without needing distributed teams to travel to a high altitude, remote site was a key value add to the process.”
