The continual adoption of new software is allowing operators to gauge not only the value of data, but also the accuracy of the hardware used to generate it, says Dan Gleeson of International Mining.
The confluence of OT and IT appears to be closer than it has ever been, with the introduction of new hardware into the mining space underpinning the need to underwrite this with increased software oversight and the required layer of cybersecurity. Akin to the requirement to break down silo mentality in the plant and pit, mining operations are realizing that any ‘disconnected’ technology they choose now will inhibit their future goals around asset optimization.
A unified digital environment.
Glenn Barlow, GEOVIA Industry Process Expert Director at Dassault Systemes, says ‘virtual twins’ within the 3DEXPERIENCE ecosystem are helping mining companies effectively collaborate internally and externally to progress mining developments and asset optimizations.
The Dassault Systemes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform integrates and automates mining processes, dismantles silos and enables executives to focus on higher-value areas and optimized geotechnical, economic, productivity and ESG parameters. The optimization ensures positive cash flow or net present value while adhering to sustainability and compliance goals, the company says.
“Our clients rely on virtual twins to simulate and optimize mine designs, assess feasibility and streamline operations,” he told IM. “Engineering and design firms use the platform to create detailed and robust designs for mining infrastructure, from pit layouts to processing plants.”
This allows them to test various scenarios to ensure their designs meet operational and environmental goals.
“Construction partners, meanwhile, benefit from the integrated project management tools, which allow them to plan and execute infrastructure development and expansions efficiently,” he said of 3DEXPERIENCE platform’s capabilities.
Technology providers and consultants, meanwhile, leverage the platform to integrate data and perform scenario analyses, enabling them to offer specialized solutions and actionable recommendations to their clients.
On the environmental side, regulatory stakeholders and community representatives use virtual twins to visualize and assess potential environmental impacts. “This capability is invaluable for ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and facilitating meaningful engagement with local communities,” Barlow says.
He added: “The beauty of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform lies in its ability to connect all these stakeholders in a unified digital environment.”
A platform such as 3DEXPERIENCE which supports the retention of knowledge through revisions, issue management and requirement management means mining companies can see a history of how they arrived at a given decision to change the estimation parameters for a resource model or the equipment requirements for pit optimization, according to Barlow. It means this specific domain knowledge becomes instead part of the company library of knowledge.
“However, managing the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of mining project data is only one aspect of how the 3DEXPERIENCE platform assists our mining clients,” he said. “They also utilize our geological modelling tools to analyze their drilling data and process it into advanced implicit geological models and resource models.”
And, in engineering departments, the company’s life of mine planning tools provides pit optimization, phase generation, schedule optimization and parametric mine designs, which allow for instant updates and changes to be incorporated.
“By bringing together solutions to manage requirements, tasks, sign-off, modelling, optimization, design and monitoring in one platform, we are able to transform our mining clients’ operations in a similar way to how we have transformed client operations in other industries,” he said.
Dassault Systemes serves several different industries across a wide number of disciplines, which has allowed it to present cutting-edge technology from other industries to the mining sector, according to Barlow. An example of this is the adoption of generative design where it runs large numbers of simulations to generate design options, which may not have been considered if generated manually.
“We will also be deploying more advanced AI solutions within the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, such as the ability to ask questions through our SWYM application which will then return technical answers from our user assistance pages and user communities,” Barlow says. “This makes it even easier to find the best resources and information from the stored company knowledge that is built up within the platform.”
Barlow sees several parallels with other industries in Dassault Systemes’ client base, such as civil construction and infrastructure. These industries, like mining, operate in complex, capital-intensive environments and face challenges requiring innovation, efficiency and sustainability.
“These industries have successfully adopted virtual twin technology and simulation tools to optimize operations and improve efficiency,” he said. “Using geospatial applications to spatially index their data, expose it within the context of regional and even continental geographic information system data and share these views in 3D with all stakeholders is valuable for any clients that work over large expanses of land.
“Similarly, mining can learn much from the way these other industries simulate site conditions, predict outcomes and test innovations without disrupting operations, which allows them to minimize risks and costs.”
There are sustainability initiatives in energy to reflect on too, with this sector having embraced data-driven decision making and predictive analytics to optimize resource usage and reduce environmental impacts. “Mining companies can apply these practices to manage their ecological footprint while maintaining productivity,” Barlow said.
There is also potential to incorporate advances from outside of the Dassault Systemes’ sphere, with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform available to be customized and to integrate solutions from other technology providers.
“I think we will see over the coming years a number of new entrants into the mining software segment; these new providers will focus on niche technology looking to provide solutions to single areas of the mining value chain,” he said. “We welcome these new entrants as they will push forward innovation in their areas of expertise, but we feel that you can only truly transform the mining industry by focusing not only on the single workflow or silo but instead on the total business process.
“The value of software platforms and virtual twins is not just in making the work of a single user more efficient or productive but instead in being able to re-engineer the whole process, making improvements in each step.”