Department of Technical Co-operation for Development Mission Report URUGUAY 1.-2 September, 1986 bv .Simón D. Handelsman ínterreqional Adviser on Electronic Data Processinq in Mineral Exploration and Development United Nations I I I I I I Mission Report I URUGUAY 1-2 September, 1986 I by Simón D. Handelsman ínterregional Adviser on I Electronic Data Processing in Mineral Bxploration and Development I Minerals Branch Natural Resources and Energy División Department of Technical Co-operation I for Development United Nations I New York I I I I I I I I I I I CONTENTS 1. TERMS OF REFERENCE 1 2. INTRODUCTION 1 I 3. STANDARIZED GEOLOGICAL CODES 7 4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 7 5 . ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .8 I DIARY I PERSONS MET I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1. TERMS OF REFERENCE I The terms of reference of the advisory mission requested by the £| Government of Ur&guay were to discuss computer applications in the mineral M sector. During an initial briefing with the Director National Direction for Mining and Geology, (DINAMIGE) he stated that DINAMIGE is looking for advice I regarding a computer system for the organization. A series of meetings with staff of DINAMIGE discussed current requirements and experiences in the three £ áreas specified: Administration Office; Mining Administration; and Scientific I Research. I 2. INTRODÜCTION I Industrial Minerals play a small role in the economy of Uruguay. There are numerous open pit and some underground operations. Recently the I potential for non-industrial minerals (gold and lead etc.) has been I recognised, for example, there is currently a three-year Federal Germán technical co-operation programme to establish a geophysics section and which I is providing equipment, training and fellowships. It is understood that I there have also been other bi-lateral programmes of assistance to DINAMIGE. I I I I I I I - 2 - I The three principal áreas of computer application requirements I are: 1) Administration Office 2) Mining Administration I 3) Scientific Research, including geochemistry, geophysics and geology. There is a variety of equipment and systems in use and it is clear • that it is time1y to consider standardización. l Office and Mines Administration information are currently being processed on a DIABLO 3200. This is an oíd computer with 64k, 5Mb hard disk l and with 5Mb removable disks. There is a problem with the printer which is i causing considerable loss of productivity (several hours to complete a few minute print out), but the company servicing the system has gone out af l business, and there is no longer any local service ñor support. The probable problem with the printer appears to be that the print-head needs to be l replaced. l _ Until recently the monthly maintenance charges were US$800 per • month. There is currently an attempt to obtain an altérnate maintenance I facility. This is only a short-term solution to the problem and it is recommended that action be taken to reduce DINAMIGE's reliance on this I technically obsolete system. It is noted that there is no back-up for this l system, and valuable data which are in regular use are stored on it . i I I I - 3 - I The payroll is currently being contracted out to a local firm using some IBM equipment. This is usually the best method of handling I payroll since it is the one área of applications that causes the most number I of complaints from staff if there are errors or if there are any delays for any reason. It is suggested that this continué, however, it is possible to I do the work internally if there are other overriding considerations. The other administrative requirements lie in the áreas of • inventory and expense reporting (currently both on the Diablo). There is a need for an accounting system, but this has not yet been successfully M implemented on the Diablo. Other needs lie in the control of supplies, and • payables. The Diablo is also used for control of mining administrative procedures. Normally the computer generates about three hours per day of • printout, on a five day week schedule. l The administration systems including payroll, accounting and i inventory control are standard applications in most industries. The transaction volume is not excessive, and microcomputer software is • extensively available. It is understood that a local consultant is looking at this for DINAMIGE, and if this were not the case a local management B consultant would be recommended to look at the flow of information and make • reconrmendations in this área. The source of such advice is usually fron one of the major accounting firms. l l I I I The terms of reference for such a consultant should include a review of current office and computer procedures relating to administration | and accounting activities and recommendations with special reference to low tm cost high capacity microcomputers and existing software (where possible). The equipment specification should be for a widely available and generally • supported unit (or its compatibles) so that the problems encountered with specialized units and only a small market share are avoided. It is important | to find out Che level of documentation, since the quality of documentation is wm crucial, especially for software. The documentation should include system specifications, programme specifications, programme listings, and a detailed • description of the options and user manuals with pertinent examples. The documentation is so important that it should be studied carefully. i • The training and support included in the purchase price should be established. The purchase terms should be clarified. Usually the software I is not for sale, only the right to its use may be purchased. The purchaser must ascertain whether the following support is provided: • a) installation cost, • b) training costs c) future improvements • d) warranty e) maintenance contract i i I I • The geophysics división has an IBM-XT compatible computer (VÍCTOR) • with 384Kb, a 20Mb hard disk, and an EPSON-LQ1500 printer. Without being critical, the system would be improved with additional memory to 640k and a • small line plotter. It runs under under MS-DOS 2.1 and was provided under a three-year Federal Germán technical co-operation programme to establish a • geophysics section and which is providing equipment, training and • fellowships. Within the equipment component some software to process ground geophical data was provided (from the Germán Geological Survey), including I MAG, GRAVTTY, VLF, VLF-R, IP (gradient), IP (diapole), EM and SON (Shclumberger). The manuals in Germán has been translated into Spanish, and • the programmes are menu-driven. The software is being used by the Uruguayan • geophysicists. • A brief meeting was held with the Chief Technical Adviser of the Germán Technical Assistance Programme and his national counterpartsv . and it • was explained that a proposal to fly the whole country with an airborne I geophysical survey was being prepared. The preliminary cost estímate of this survey is US$5 mi11ion, and sources of finaneing are being sought. It was • explained that UN/DTCD is not a funding ageney, and the UNDP programme offLcer _ explained that the IPF for Urfcguay is relatively small (US$1.1 million/year), * but that UN/DTCD did have extensive experience with national airborne I geophysical surveys in developing countries and it was mentioned that there is a Technical Adviser in Geophysics based at UN Headquarters, and that his advice and experience relating to the proposed airborne survey could be very useful to the Government. I I I • The geochemical división is currently using the Treasury m main-frame computer. There are three IBM-3278 termináis plus a printer connected by a modem and land line to che host facility. The software in use • was provided in a French technical co-operation programme and modified to run on the government computer. The plotter output is first obtained on magnetic I tape some distance from DINAMIGE and then brought to the geochemistry office • where there is a BENSON 1221 muíti-pen plotter with a BENSON 400 tape drive and plotter controller. There is also a large digitizer (BENSON 6201 with I modem) but this is not connected to any other equipment. It is used to provide coordinates from maps, which are then entered manually into the main-frame computer. Although the system is working well enough, it may be i useful to consider some rationalization of work. I The acquisition, storage and processing of geological, geochemical and geophysical data during exploration are important áreas. There %& • extensive software available for these applications on microcomputers. The • digitizer could be linked for direct data entry to reduce the scope for errors. The approach taken in the geophysics work is an extremely • appropriate and sensible one, and this should serve as an example for other applications. It should also be noted that the more powerful 80286-based ™ microcomputers are now widely available with one or two megabytes of main • memory, a mathematíes co-processor, and a 70Mb hard disk main storage unit, and also a second 30Mb half-height hard disk may also be installed in the • uni t. I I I I I - 7 - I 3. STANDARIZED GEOLOGICAL CODES I Interest was expressed in standardized code for geological rock types and mineralization etc. It is recommended that DINAMIGE consider the I FRANKLIN system of coding, a modificación of which is attached as.Annex 2. This is a system of alphanumeric representation in which the letters are removed in a predetertnined sequence to arrive at two, three, four or more I letter codes., I 4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS I There appears to be very little need to establish a central system • from the brief examination of the needs at DINAMIGE.