Software provider Deswik has welcomed drill and blast technology manufacturer Minnovare as an integration partner, as part of its commitment to provide a flexible and integrated mine planning platform.

The partnership links the latest version of the Deswik.UGDB with Minnovare’s new Production Optimiser system, further cementing Deswik’s position as a software platform of choice in the underground drill and blast space, Deswik said.

The integration allows the export of ring design data, including images, from Deswik.UGDB in a format easily uploaded directly to the Production Optimiser’s software interface, Minnovare CORE, which features digital drill plans and plods.

The Deswik/Production Optimiser integration helps to ensure ‘what is drilled is what was designed’, while also facilitating greater data capture and visualisation, Deswik said. It also reduces the likelihood for re-work, as the integration ensures feedback on accuracy and compliance is instant to both the rig operator and the technical/engineering team using Deswik.UGDB.

A module of Deswik.CAD, Deswik.UGDB manages the specialised needs of drill and blast designs for underground mines. The tool allows users to:

• Deliver a comprehensive ring design by rapidly placing rings, slots, drill holes either manually or through sophisticated automated tools;
• Ensure consistency by incorporating standard design metrics for drill rig parameters, explosives and detonator placement to prepopulate your design;
• Produce detailed blast designs and solids by defining blast pattern with primers, explosives and timing sequences.

The Production Optimiser is the result of a six-month study of drill data from three underground gold mines in Australia. The study led Minnovare to identify three key factors contributing to blast hole deviation – collar error, alignment error and in-hole deviation. It indicated alignment and collar error account for the vast majority of blasthole deviation – as much as 80%.

The Production Optimiser was then created to reduce blasthole deviation by combining advanced rig-alignment hardware with data capture and visualisation software.

“Linking Deswik.UGDB and Minnovare’s Production Optimiser improves efficiency, responsiveness, reliability and accuracy, as well as streamlining the entire drilling operation to provide managers and engineers with the drilling data they need to drive decision-making,” Deswik said.

The Minnovare announcement follows the integration of Imago geoscientific imaging software with the Deswik.GeoTools Mapping module.

“These partnerships are part of Deswik’s commitment to creating an open and integrated software platform that allows data to flow seamlessly across all core mining functions,” the company said.