Mining software provider Gemcom has com- pleted a R3,9-million deal with diamond-miner Debswana’s Orapa mine operation to integrate all single software units into a single collaborative environment.
Gemcom services director Felix Walraven explains that, previously, the Orapa mine was using software solutions in isolation to each other and, thus, Gemcom worked together with the mine to integrate all the disparate units into a single collaborative environment. This prevented staff from working separately and having their own sets of data.
Walraven explains that, at the same time, the workflow was standardised so that staff would know what was required and who uses the information down the line in the workflow process.
Walraven explains that Gem-com implemented a sequel database on a server, as opposed mining crusher conveyor beltto an access database, which would be situated on an individual computer. The sequel database is backed up, so users can be assured that their data is safe and can be recovered should an individual computer crash.
The company has also completed an upgrade to the software used at Debswana’s Jwaneng diamond mine, in Botswana, which is the world’s richest diamond mine. Walraven says that the mine uses several of Gemcom’s products, including its production reporting solution, InSite. This was originally implemented in 2003, butgold crushing plant and concentrator the company has upgraded the system to its newer technology.
Walraven says that Gemcom is hoping that it will soon receive more projects at mines in Botswana, but with the downturn in mining, new projects are being postponed.
End-to-End Service
Gemcom provides mines with software solutions that offer geo-
logical modelling, mine design, mine planning, strategic planning and production reporting. The software can be used throughout the mining value chain.
The company has acquigold crushing plant and concentratorred Australian product management, services and software development company TeamTech, which will enable Gemcom to provide additional reporting solutions to the processing side of mining. Walraven explains that Gemcom will now be able to provide a total end-to-end solution that includes mine processing plants.
The company also offers support in the use of the software, training and project assistance work. Walraven explains that some of the software solutions occasionally require a large implementation procedure where crushing granite to get golddifferent business units in a mining operation are integrated into a single data environment.
He adds that Gemcom works with the mining operations to develop their workflows and processes and to standardise the workflow.
Gemcom is very centred on databases, which differentiates the company from competitors. Walraven says that most software companies develop software tools that carry out the same function, but Gemcom is different in that it is also focused on the database architecture.
Further, the company’s InSite solution offers information on modelling, design, planning and scheduling, which is captured into a database and distributed across a mine as customised reports.
Walraven explains that it is common for mines to report data in unmanageable spreadsheets, but the company’s InSite solution places all data into a database and mines are then able to retrieve reports and the latest information that has been validated by the software.
Service Delivery
Walraven says that Gemcom is starting to feel the effects of the downturn in the mining industry owing to the credit crunch. He says that the company needs to become smarter in the way in which it carries out business and is focusing on service delivery.
He says that the company is offering project assistance work, where a client may have bought the software but has no one to operate it.
“Mining software is specialised and graphical. It is an expensive process, so from a service delivery perspective, Gemcom’s vision is to help the client get the maximum value out of the software,” says Walraven.
Future
The company’s product devel-
opment is ongoing. Walraven says that Gemcom also has large
research and development teams that are constantly looking at ways to improve its software. Product managers interact with clients continually to discover what the industry would like to see in the products.
Walraven concludes that Gemcom is not focused on one commodity and can be used for opencast mines, as well as under- ground mining operations.