During 2002, MinLog, representing Maptek MineSuite™ in Africa, commissioned the largest MineSuite MIS system currently operational in the world. This took place at Kumba Resources’ Sishen Iron Ore Mine in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.
Sishen produces more than 27 Mt of iron ore per annum. The Sishen processing plant comprises product preparation, washing and screening, beneficiation, and direct reduction screening, as well as ore blending and dispatch. Given the market’s appetite for the high grade haematite product, Sishen had been under pressure over several years to constantly increase production, while still using the existing plant.
To equip management with the necessary systems for plant optimisation, Sishen decided to source an off-the-shelf performance measurement system to replace the aging mainframe system. The solution needed to be specifically designed for the mining industry, implemented within a short time frame, supported by a local company that understood the mining industry, and come without a million dollar price tag.
Sishen’s functional requirements revolved around having accurate in-shift and end-of period operational information available for plant performance measurement as well as for management decision support. Furthermore, Sishen required a unified data capture, processing and reporting information base, for a system spanning various process boundaries, as well as catering for the needs of production, engineering and quality departments. MinLog has developed various Production Performance Management Information System (PPMIS) modules to meet Sishen’s overall requirement. Manual log sheets have been replaced by electronic log sheets (ELS module) in the Sishen control rooms. The ELS provides for both manual and automated data capture, and presents the control room operator with a current timeline overview of all processes, sub-processes and equipment configured for that section.
The ELS allows the operator to log and verify all production and engineering events, as and when they occur. Towards the end of the shift the supervisors use the shift validation utility to view, edit and validate end-of-shift production and engineering event summaries, prior to signing off. The breakdown tracking module (BTM) provides engineering personnel with an in-time breakdown event summary. Breakdowns are represented as timeline activities colour coded to depict activity status and history.
The BTM is also used for assigning artisans to breakdowns, as well as to monitor the start and completion times of related activities. The BTM interacts in real time with the ELS, providing engineering personnel with instantaneous notification of breakdown events. In return it provides production personnel with real-time notification and details of released repairs.
It is also used for distributing management messages and slide shows, communicating in-shift progressives with targets and tolerances to personnel via multiple viewing stations situated throughout the plant. Numerous reports are batch generated at the end of each shift; these reports are automatically sorted, archived and presented by means of the active web viewer (AWV) via the Kumba Resources intranet.
With more than 1800 processes configured, 200 users registered and an average of 25 concurrent clients accessing the system at any point in time, MineSuite has proven itself in exceeding the original PPMIS requirements as set out by Sishen.
The MineSuite implementation was nominated as a breakthrough project at Sishen Iron Ore Mine during 2003.
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Reliable iron ore production tracking
Reliable iron ore production tracking
During 2002, MinLog, representing Maptek MineSuite™ in Africa, commissioned the largest MineSuite MIS system currently operational in the world. This took place at Kumba Resources’ Sishen Iron Ore Mine in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.
Sishen produces more than 27 Mt of iron ore per annum. The Sishen processing plant comprises product preparation, washing and screening, beneficiation, and direct reduction screening, as well as ore blending and dispatch. Given the market’s appetite for the high grade haematite product, Sishen had been under pressure over several years to constantly increase production, while still using the existing plant.
To equip management with the necessary systems for plant optimisation, Sishen decided to source an off-the-shelf performance measurement system to replace the aging mainframe system. The solution needed to be specifically designed for the mining industry, implemented within a short time frame, supported by a local company that understood the mining industry, and come without a million dollar price tag.
Sishen’s functional requirements revolved around having accurate in-shift and end-of period operational information available for plant performance measurement as well as for management decision support. Furthermore, Sishen required a unified data capture, processing and reporting information base, for a system spanning various process boundaries, as well as catering for the needs of production, engineering and quality departments. MinLog has developed various Production Performance Management Information System (PPMIS) modules to meet Sishen’s overall requirement. Manual log sheets have been replaced by electronic log sheets (ELS module) in the Sishen control rooms. The ELS provides for both manual and automated data capture, and presents the control room operator with a current timeline overview of all processes, sub-processes and equipment configured for that section.
The ELS allows the operator to log and verify all production and engineering events, as and when they occur. Towards the end of the shift the supervisors use the shift validation utility to view, edit and validate end-of-shift production and engineering event summaries, prior to signing off. The breakdown tracking module (BTM) provides engineering personnel with an in-time breakdown event summary. Breakdowns are represented as timeline activities colour coded to depict activity status and history.
The BTM is also used for assigning artisans to breakdowns, as well as to monitor the start and completion times of related activities. The BTM interacts in real time with the ELS, providing engineering personnel with instantaneous notification of breakdown events. In return it provides production personnel with real-time notification and details of released repairs.
It is also used for distributing management messages and slide shows, communicating in-shift progressives with targets and tolerances to personnel via multiple viewing stations situated throughout the plant. Numerous reports are batch generated at the end of each shift; these reports are automatically sorted, archived and presented by means of the active web viewer (AWV) via the Kumba Resources intranet.
With more than 1800 processes configured, 200 users registered and an average of 25 concurrent clients accessing the system at any point in time, MineSuite has proven itself in exceeding the original PPMIS requirements as set out by Sishen.
The MineSuite implementation was nominated as a breakthrough project at Sishen Iron Ore Mine during 2003.