Photo by: Creamer Media's Marleny Arnoldi
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Since launching its Intelligent Mining system a bit more than a year ago, Deloitte has consolidated the respective service offerings into one combined mining intelligence capability, which now comprises a Digital Nerve Centre (DNC) and Intelligent Boardroom.
Deloitte digital mining operations leader Jan-Adriaan du Plessis on Monday said Deloitte had first offered separate solutions, or “use cases”, but that it had since realised that the integration of these solutions would aid mining companies more.
During a media briefing, he explained that the DNC was an operational intelligence centre, intended for use by a general manager that is attending to an operation, while the Intelligent Boardroom offering informs senior management and aids in decision-making.
The DNC analyses data across the mining operation to issue warnings or instructions to operators, while enabling access to all mining information in one place, and it feeds into the Intelligent Boardroom constantly.
Deloitte has several technology business partners that form part of its Intelligent Mining system, including Mine RP, iWorx, SAP, GameEffective, General Electric, NewReality, Isometrix, ASG, Salesforce and TBR.
The Intelligent Mining integrated solution spans across the entire mining value chain, from planning, mining, processing, engineering, safety and health, human resources and supply chain, but solutions can also be offered separately, or be tailored to client requirements.
INSIDE INTELLIGENT MINING
The mine plan is put into the system, which is then broken down into task schedules, financial management, scenario modelling and compliance to plan tracking.
The DNC shows real-time visualisation of the mining operation to enable intra-shift compliance to plan monitoring, working on a “management by exception” basis and entails smart workflows and alerts, with Internet of Things asset integration included.
To manage assets, the DNC provides predictive asset monitoring and advises on asset health well before breakdowns occur.
Through gamified performance management and workforce engagement, Deloitte’s system offers real-time performance feedback and visualisation at all levels of the organisation, with individual performance tracking linked to key gamified performance indicators. This also contributes to an engaged workforce, through two-way communication, and micro-learning experiences.
Du Plessis explained that staff were incentivised to use their micro-learning experiences, since points were awarded upon completion of certain learning tasks, which could then be used to buy airtime, electricity vouchers, transport vouchers or spaza shop vouchers.
The Intelligent Mining system converges behavioural and operational metrics to predict potential risks, while offering virtual reality training simulations for increased safety and risk management.
“Deloitte’s system constraint analytics pinpoints bottlenecks and prompts real-time operational decision support through machine learning.
“[The] DNC unlocks the ability to maximise throughput and quality by managing the end-to-end integrated value chain through leading indicators, predictive analytics and artificial intelligence to augment decision-making,” said Du Plessis.