INTERNET OF THINGS GE Predix-based applications connect mining and minerals processing assets – collecting and analysing data and delivering real-time insights Bringing it for optimising infrastructure and operations water and emissions. Real-time data capture will all together allow the company to be even more transparent with, and accountable to, its local partners. And the use of digital technology will enhance The terms Big Data and Internet of Things do mean mine Barrick’s permitting activities, further increasing wide and complex solutions but at a smaller scale they transparency to stakeholders. Together, these also incorporate the smallest sensors and instruments, innovations will enable Barrick to deliver better, faster and safer mining. Here is just one metric: reports Paul Moore Barrick expects to reduce its production costs from approximately $800 an ounce of gold to n a recent interview with Canada’s The Globe business. Over the course of the partnership, less than $700 on a sustainable basis – a and Mail , John Chambers, Executive Barrick and Cisco will bring digital capabilities quantum improvement that would be IChairman of Cisco and John Thornton, to Barrick’s entire organisation, from its mines unmatched in the gold-mining industry. More Executive Chairman of Barrick Gold gave their around the world to Barrick’s head office in broadly, the partnership could serve as a model take on how far behind mining is in terms of Toronto. For instance, advanced sensing for digital transformation across Canada’s digitalisation and how they are working to technology and real-time operational data will business community, which has the potential to address this in partnership: “Canada was built improve decision making. Equipment will be grow the economy and create jobs.” on its mining heritage. Today, the industry automated for increased productivity and Over the course of the collaboration, Barrick contributes about C$54 billion a year to worker safety. Predictive algorithms will and Cisco will focus on research and Canada’s gross domestic product – a driving enhance the precision and speed of development, and jointly use their networks and force of the national economy. Yet mining lags maintenance and metallurgy. And real-time data expertise to drive Barrick’s digital reinvention. In behind other industries in one critical aspect: will provide greater transparency to local the first step of the collaboration, Barrick and digital innovation. That shortcoming partners, from indigenous communities to Cisco will work together to develop a flagship significantly threatens the industry’s ability to governments. Digital technologies will enable digital operation at the Cortez mine in Nevada – meet future demands and survive in the digital Barrick’s leaders to make decisions with greater “embedding digital technology in every age. By 2020, 75% of businesses will be a speed, precision and productivity, and will better dimension of the mine to deliver better, faster, digital business or preparing to become one. equip them to assess and mitigate risk. For and safer mining. The goal at Cortez is to Companies that fail to embrace this trend will example, real-time data, analytics and predictive redefine best-in-class mining.” not survive.” tools will allow company leaders to work They continued: “Mining needs to reinvent together across the organisation. An enterprise- GE’s Digital Mine itself. The only way companies will cut costs and wide analytics hub will enable performance At MINExpo 2016, GE Mining, a division of GE increase efficiency will be to embed digital management and financial and operational Transportation, unveiled the Digital Mine, technologies in every dimension of how mines benchmarking. And new digital tools will described as “a suite of technologies that can are operated and managed. This transformation improve scenario planning and portfolio improve performance, reliability, safety and will require technology companies and the management.” operations. Each mine is a mini-city, requiring mining industry to partner together in new The statement concluded: “Finally, digital power, water and transportation. Intelligent, ways. We are already seeing such partnerships technology will improve Barrick’s environmental real-time monitoring across the mine, allows take root. Last week, Cisco and Barrick Gold and safety performance. Predictive data and operators to make data-driven decisions that teamed up for the digital reinvention of Barrick’s analytics will improve management of energy, improve equipment reliability and optimise mine Reprinted from International Mining | NOVEMBER 2016 INTERNET OF THINGS operations – yielding up to a potential $5 billion annually in savings.” Powered by GE’s Predix™, which the company says is the world’s only open, cloud-based operating platform built exclusively for industry, the Digital Mine “delivers interconnected technology needed to achieve breakthrough levels of efficiency and maximum performance. It combines machine sensors, connectivity, data capture, visualisation and analytics to support management of an asset’s lifecycle.” “Mining, as an industry, faces strong headwinds and must drive productivity and improve operational savings. Digital Mine, through advanced sensor technology and analytics, seizes the industry’s untapped data to help make a difference,” said Scott Phillips, Vice around 80% of the total cost of ownership for a Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, has launched ‘Perfect Order’, an President and CEO of GE Mining. “As we’re doing cement plant or running a mining operation, and industry solution experience for natural successfully for the rail industry, we’re using our energy is the single largest component. An resources that helps mining companies improve Industrial Internet mindset to actively monitor ongoing monitoring of processes makes it supply chain efficiency and profitability and diagnose equipment and operations to possible to increase productivity significantly.” improve assets, maximise efforts, boost fuel industries,” said Marni Rabassó, Vice President efficiency and lower costs.” Seeking a Perfect Order Natural Resources Industry, Dassault Systèmes. GE’s suite of condition-monitoring capabilities Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE “Dassault Systèmes offers a diverse set of collects information such as vibration data, Company and leader in 3D design software, 3D solutions to the mining industry that stems from temperature and pressure to inform mine Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle decades of technological expertise. With operators of machine health, and also detects Management (PLM) solutions, has announced ‘Perfect Order,’ mining companies will uncover impending failures before they occur. “Data the launch of ‘Perfect Order,’ an industry hidden value in increased efficiency of the collected from disparate systems enables the solution experience for natural resources that supply chain, which also improves the linking of insights across machines and helps mining companies improve supply chain customers’ delivery experience.” processes, which can lead to better predictivity efficiency and profitability. ‘Perfect Order’ offers Specifically, the ‘Perfect Order’ industry and decreased likelihood of accidents – all while digital end-to-end supply chain management solution experience provides a single source of increasing productivity.” capabilities for more visibility, control and truth that connects all planning decisions, from GE Mining says its digital solutions have the predictability across operations. mine to port; improved shipment forecasting potential to help customers reduce equipment “As mining companies strive to deliver and logistics planning integrating market failures, deliver up to 5% improvement in commodity shipments to customers that are on demand forecasts, availability of commodities at mineral recovery, and increase optimisation. For time and meet quality specifications, an efficient minesites, and the capacity of transport example, a leading gold mining customer and cost-effective supply chain is critical. networks as well as predictive intelligence that maximised mineral recovery by 1.5%, which is However, lower commodity prices, more variable leverages historical data and causal factors such equivalent to nearly $1 million a year. A demand, and lower grade deposits are as price and GDP; and real-time key platinum mine customer increased smelter increasing supply chain complexity, making it performance indicators on the impact of throughput by 10% while improving recovery. harder for mining companies to meet customer planning decisions that allow for rapid In a further development, FLSmidth, the contract requirements.” adjustments to be made to keep deliveries, global supplier of equipment and services to the Based on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and specifications and budget on track. It also has global minerals and cement industries, and GE, leveraging Quintiq supply chain planning and the ability to match supply and demand to have joined forces to create digital solutions for optimisation capabilities, Dassault Systèmes’ resource capacity, “maximising fulfillment of increasing productivity. The new solutions ‘Perfect Order’ industry solution experience contracts and resulting in fewer penalties and developed on GE’s cloud-based Predix platform “offers mining companies a holistic view of an improved customer experience.” “will leverage FLSmidth’s expertise in cement what’s occurring throughout the supply chain,