Forge December 2009

The latest issue of Forge contains a great mix of stories from around the world. Read about the experience and success of our customers, as well as new product releases and coming events. We hope you enjoy the newsletter.

Articles this month

		A Complete Platform for Mining Education University students in Western Macedonia, Greece, use Vulcan for mine planning, geotechnical engineering and environmental studies. In addition, the modelling and mine planning software is the platform for study and research into the use of computers in the minerals industry. The benefits are many – students gain the skills which will help advance them in the workforce, and future employers can be confident that they are hiring the right people.
		Survey Data Underground Maptek I-Site 4400CR scanner and I-Site Studio are helping the survey team at Randgold Resources’ Loulo mine in Mali, Africa to get accurate data from underground operations. Safety, accuracy and time savings are the key benefits of the system, which is also used for open pit stockpile survey.
		New Vulcan Development Block caving and scheduling are two areas of focus for the next release of Maptek’s Vulcan software. The block caving module will allow users to simulate the dilution of material and assess its economic impact to feed into long-term planning. Advanced and parallel optimisation will increase the power and versatility of Vulcan’s Chronos scheduling module. Short term scheduling will have a new customisable interface which handles mine and plant objectives, with input from multiple stockpiles automatically.
		I-Site Studio Software Released Improving the efficiency of survey tasks was the key driver behind developments in Maptek’s I-Site Studio 3.3 software release. Automatic toe and crest detection allows surveyors to quickly and easily update mine models. A new global registration tool uses a single step to register multiple scans and objects together. Section viewing, labeling elevations on contours, and updated language interface are among other enhancements.
		New Grade Control Solution Maptek’s new grade control solution will prove a boon to many underground operations. Based on the solid foundation of Vulcan’s open cut grade control functionality, the new system brings improved accuracy and productivity to the geologist’s tasks, while adding the ability to perform automated, run-time reconciliation with exploration models.
		Proximity Alert System Aids Safety Maptek’s MineSuite mine production information and fleet management system includes proximity alert functionality which can help to enhance safety on mine sites. Recent workshops in Australia allowed vendors and users the opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of such systems in light of overall safety measures.
		Maptek News Read about some of Maptek’s new customers, success of existing customers and view the tradeshows and events we are hosting and attending in the first 6 months of 2010. We’d love to see you at one of these events.