Tag Archives: Andrew Birch

Micromine2025Release

Micromine to ‘Advance’ underground mine planning

Automation, IoT, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , ,

Micromine has announced its 2025 Release and a brand-new product specifically for underground metals in an update that, it says, brings exciting new features and enhancements to all Micromine products, empowering users with cutting-edge tools to streamline workflows, ensure data consistency and boost overall efficiency.

Andrew Birch, Micromine’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our commitment to the mining and exploration industry remains as strong as ever. The needs of the industry drive our continued dedication to innovation. By staying at the forefront of technological developments and maintaining communication with the people powering mining, we ensure our solutions are responsive to their ever-changing needs.”

Micromine’s integrated suite of solutions addresses the entire mining lifecycle. Key highlights for each stage include:

Exploration and geology

Micromine Origin solidifies its position as the most comprehensive geological modelling solution on the market by revolutionising workflows with intuitive features and advanced machine-learning architecture, the company says. The new Grade Estimator transforms how users manage estimates, offering a seamless and efficient experience. This tool lets you run multiple Kriging and Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) estimates across elements, domains and search passes. Additionally, the Grade Copilot feature continues to redefine critical tasks for resource geologists, using powerful neural networks to facilitate informed, confident decisions swiftly.

Micromine Geobank, a geoscience data logging and management software, has enhanced its Sample Tracker feature, streamlining metadata entry and field data handling. Soon, the solution’s functionality will be moved into the cloud, resulting in better data integration with users’ downstream decisions.

Planning and scheduling

Drawing on Micromine’s extensive industry expertise, Birch announced the upcoming release of Micromine Advance, a new mine planning solution set to launch early next year: “We’re thrilled to expand Micromine’s product ecosystem with Micromine Advance – the first and only dedicated tool designed to model the operational complexity of underground operations.”

Earlier this year, mine design and scheduling software Micromine Beyond introduced a powerful dynamic Pit Design Toolset that provides an interactive user experience. This allows mine planners to achieve optimal pit designs faster. Its functionality has been further enhanced, minimising manual interaction and accelerating decision making.

Micromine Spry, mine planning for open-pit soft rock, provides a detail-oriented and flexible approach to assist with the intricacies of complex operations. The new Repair Solids Wizard feature does all the detective work, identifying problems such as self-intersections, holes, or invalid geometries and automatically resolving them.

Micromine Alastri, mine planning for open-pit hard rock, introduces a new Expression Builder feature that provides a straightforward and
guided process for calculating site-specific scheduling data such as drilling metres or explosive quantities. Another key functionality introduced is that users can now forecast how long broken stocks can sustain production whilst meeting all necessary blend and grade targets.

Operation

OEM-agnostic fleet management and mine control solution, Micromine Pitram, has introduced two powerful new features. Real-time Deviation Tracking allows users to configure parameters tailored to specific operational needs. This functionality provides faster detection of variances, enabling immediate corrective actions. And the new Sub-location Data Capture allows activity at any mining location to be monitored with unprecedented granularity, giving personnel precise data to assess drilling efficiency, grade distribution and drill plan compliance.

Data management

In cloud-native collaboration and data-sharing solution, Micromine Nexus, users can unlock the full potential of their data by delivering synchronous collaboration, cloud computing and advanced AI capabilities to their exploration and mining projects, regardless of location.

In summary of the 2025 Release, Birch remarked, “Our relentless drive is about more than innovation, it’s about powering the mining industry and enabling our users to tackle complex challenges with ease. As we look to the future, we will continually push the boundaries to deliver next-generation technology.”

Micromine mine control and fleet management solution set for AngloGold Ashanti deployments

Mine operation news, Mining services, Mining software, Precious metals, , , , , ,

Micromine says it has entered into a three-year software agreement with AngloGold Ashanti to deliver mine control and fleet management software solution, Micromine Pitram.

The solution will be implemented at AngloGold Ashanti’s Australian operations, Sunrise Dam and Tropicana, both in Western Australia’s north-eastern goldfields.

Micromine Pitram will help the operations personnel capture, manage and optimise its activities by obtaining core operational asset data, including equipment, materials and locations, Micromine says.

Andrew Birch, Chief Executive Officer of Micromine, said: “We are extremely proud to be providing our Micromine Pitram solution to AngloGold Ashanti. Our comprehensive mine control and fleet management solution enhances the productivity and profitability of a mine through real-time or near-real-time data.”

The open and scalable technology provides flexibility to incorporate equipment, systems, locations and network assets as needed. From an executive team analysing profit, operations managers optimising productivity, to operators tracking progress, Micromine Pitram provides stakeholders at every level with greater visibility, control, and understanding of operational activities, according to the company.

“Micromine Pitram is used and trusted by many of the world’s largest mining organisations, and this agreement is just another fantastic example,” Birch added.

As per the agreement, Micromine Pitram will be deployed at Sunrise Dam and Tropicana this month.

Sunrise Dam is predominantly an underground operation with average production of 2.7 Mt/y of ore. Tropicana, a joint venture between AngloGold (70%) and Regis Resources (30%), is an open-pit mine and underground mine.

Last week, AspenTech and the owners of Micromine entered into a definitive agreement for the former to take over the latter company in a cash deal worth $623 million.

AspenTech in pole position to help digitise mining sector with planned takeover of Micromine

Automation, IoT, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining software, , , , , ,

Aspen Technology is looking to expand its industrial software remit with the acquisition of Micromine, a global leader in design and operational management solutions for the mining industry, from private equity firm Potentia Capital and other sellers for A$900 million in cash ($623 million)

The two have entered into a definitive agreement that AspenTech says complements its existing asset optimisation solutions and positions the company in a leadership role to deliver the “Digital Mine of the Future”, in support of excellence in operations with a focus on safety, sustainability, reliability and efficiency.

In addition, AspenTech says it is now uniquely positioned to help mining customers address the dual challenge of meeting the demands of a growing population with an increasing standard of living, while reaching sustainability goals.

“AspenTech’s innovation and unique expertise in digitally transforming the chemicals and oil and gas industries will be critical to the mining industry as it embarks on rapid digitalisation,” it says.

Micromine participates in the smart mining market, which in 2022 amounts to approximately $11.5 billion, according to AspenTech. Based on Micromine’s technology, the relevant global segments of the total smart mining market are $5.3 billion and cover data management and analytics, smart asset management and other solutions, AspenTech says.

“With a 35-year track record of success and 280 employees across 22 global offices, Micromine provides mission-critical solutions for over 800 blue-chip customers across all mining operations and commodities with a focus on various metals essential for the energy transition such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, base metals such as copper and iron ore, and precious metals such as gold,” the company added.

Antonio Pietri, President and CEO, AspenTech, said: “Digitalisation is critical for the metals and mining industry to become sustainably sound and operationally excellent for generations to come. Micromine’s comprehensive solutions span the breadth of the mining cycle from geological exploration and data management to resource estimation, mine design, planning, scheduling and production control.

“As we indicated when we announced the transaction with Emerson, AspenTech has gained additional flexibility to strategically deploy capital for growth. Combining AspenTech’s product portfolio and worldwide reach with Micromine’s mission-critical technology and leadership in the mining industry will equip customers with a comprehensive offering and the end-to-end ability to drive efficiencies across the entire mining value chain, while helping them meet the dual challenge.”

Back in October 2021, Emerson and AspenTech announced that the companies had entered into a definitive agreement to contribute Emerson’s industrial software businesses – OSI Inc and its Geological Simulation Software business – to AspenTech to create a diversified, high-performance industrial software leader with greater scale, capabilities and technologies being referred to as “new AspenTech”.

Andrew Birch, CEO, Micromine, said: “The majority of organisations in the mining industry are in a nascent stage of digitalisation. Accelerating their digital initiatives through a comprehensive suite of software applications and the expertise from AspenTech is a unique opportunity for our customers. Our vision has always been to create an ecosystem that connects experts across the exploration and mining value chain, using both new and existing technologies to deliver better outcomes for our customers.

“Micromine solutions complement AspenTech solutions perfectly with resultant capabilities of the whole combined company that are greater than the sum of the parts. Joining forces with AspenTech further reinforces this vision and will be the key to delivering the next generation of efficiencies in the mining sector.”

Micromine is expected to be accretive to AspenTech on a free cash flow basis within the first 12 months of the transaction closing, which is expected to close in the June quarter of 2023.

MICROMINE deepens mine scheduling expertise with Precision Mining addition

Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , ,

MICROMINE says it has taken its first step on the acquisition trail, signing a deal to purchase Queensland, Australia-based technology company Precision Mining.

The arrangement will give MICROMINE full ownership of Precision Mining, which is best known for its flagship mine scheduling software, Spry.

The acquisition is the first in almost two decades for MICROMINE, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this year.

Spry expands and deepens the mine scheduling segment in the company’s software suite. Spry provides a dig scheduling, dump scheduling and mine haulage software environment that gives complete results in a fraction of the time, according to Precision Mining.

MICROMINE’s current offering covers the entire mining cycle from exploration to production control, with its products currently used at 2,000 sites in 90 countries.

MICROMINE CEO, Andrew Birch, who took the reins at MICROMINE in 2019 after private equity firm Potentia Capital acquired a majority stake, said Spry would continue to operate as a standalone brand but would also be closely integrated with the MICROMINE suite.

“Precision Mining really stood out, not just for the quality of its software but also for the team’s experience and reputation as consultants in mine scheduling and haulage,” Birch said. “We looked worldwide for a company that was best in class and had the potential to scale globally. Finding an Australian company like Precision that is building innovative technology solutions suitable for the global mining market made the acquisition really attractive.”

Birch said MICROMINE’s focus for the past two years has been on accelerating organic growth and ensuring its product, distribution and customer service are “on point” and the company’s product roadmaps and vision are pushing into the next generation of both technology and mining.

“We are now expanding our reach and depth of expertise in a market we know well,” he said. “This is a very synergistic addition to our business and an important part of our growth strategy.”

The Precision Mining team, led by founders Glen Barnes, Craig Morgan and Zim Chan, will continue working in the business, bringing specialist scheduling and mine production expertise to the MICROMINE stable, according to MICROMINE.

Barnes said: “Joining MICROMINE will give us the experience, resources and global distribution network that are critical and together we will grow the business. The company has been growing quickly since 2007, and we reached the point where we need the expertise and support of a global business like MICROMINE to take it to the next level.”

Global software summit explores the future of mining innovation

IoT, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , ,

MICROMINE is set to showcase its next generation of mining and exploration software at a global technology summit on November 17, 2020.

More than 25 speakers will feature in the three-hour online event, available in separate languages and timezones for audiences in Australia/Asia, Europe/Africa, North & South America, Russia & Central Asia.

2020 Unpacked will showcase the next generation of mining and exploration software as MICROMINE unveils the latest versions of its integrated suite – Micromine 2021, Pitram 5 and Geobank 2021. IM got a sneak peek of Micromine 2021 and Pitram 5 during a conversation with Adam Brew, MICROMINE Australia Manager, last month ahead of the Diggers & Dealers Mining Forum in Kalgoorlie.

MICROMINE CEO, Andrew Birch, recently commented: “Rapidly changing markets, evolving geopolitical dynamics and the COVID-19 pandemic had created unprecedented challenges for mining companies, driving a thirst for evidence-based innovation.

“Technology is evolving at warp speed, and the pressure is on us to ensure our users have quick access to the best tools available.”

Launching the latest products comes after an in-depth Beta testing program that saw almost 150 testers globally trial the new software, MICROMINE says.

“Attendees will see the new features our teams have been working on over the past six months and share the digital transformation experience with exploration and mining clients from around the world who are partnering with MICROMINE to improve efficiency and profitability,” Birch said.

“Access to new and innovative data modelling and analytics is essential in helping the industry advance the safety and efficiency of its processes, reduce costs, and meet increasing social and environmental standards.”

Delegates will be treated to a free one month licence of the latest release of the award winning modelling software, Micromine 2021, which is currently used on 2,000 sites in more than 90 countries around the world, the company said

Technical product managers will run interactive group demonstrations, while additional feature workshops and one-on-one sessions (by appointment) will be available for MICROMINE clients after the event.

Registration is free at www.micromine.com/2020unpacked

MICROMINE moves into next growth phase with new CEO

IoT, Mining people, Mining services, Mining software, , , ,

MICROMINE has appointed Andrew Birch as its new CEO, effective September 23, as it looks to continue the expansion of its mining software offering.

The software provider, back in December, said it was looking forward to its next stage of software growth following an investment from private equity firm Potentia Capital.

Birch, who replaces Claire Tuder as CEO, has over 25 years’ experience across the technology sector in senior executive roles for both listed and privately held companies, most recently as COO of MYOB Group responsible for the strategic direction and delivery across MYOB’s go-to-market business units, MICROMINE said. He has also led and integrated a range of acquisitions across the MYOB business.

Prior to joining MYOB, he held several senior management positions within the technology, telecommunications and software sectors including Honeywell Pacific and Vodafone Australia, as well as mid-size technology businesses within Australia and New Zealand.

MICROMINE Chairman, Tim Reed, said: “Andrew is a highly experienced senior executive within the technology sector with a proven track record of success in delivering growth outcomes through both organic initiatives and strategic acquisitions.

“Andrew has distinguished himself as a highly talented, inspiring and energetic leader whose creativity, positive attitude and ability to build trust are among his greatest strengths.”

Birch himself said he was excited to join the MICROMINE business, “which has a great culture, the broadest capability in the market and a winning strategy that has enabled strong growth”.

He added: “Building further on this success is an exciting opportunity, I passionately believe a great team with a keen focus on clients is a key success factor.”