MineMAX is an innovative new mine scheduling tool designed and manufactured in Perth by Technology Park-based Combinatorics.
MineMAX is an innovative new mine scheduling tool designed and manufactured in Perth by Technology Park-based Combinatorics.
Nominated at the recent IT & T Awards, the program automatically creates schedules based on the business goals of a mining company.
Combinatorics technical director Jim Butler said the user has complete control over the constraints that drive the schedule, enabling the investigation of many ‘what if?’ scenarios.
“MineMAX considers financial criteria at every stage of the mining process, so the first question asked when considering a prospective site is ‘should we mine it or not?’,” he said.
“It can be used at any stage of the planning process, ranging from long term life-of-mine scheduling to daily grade control scheduling and pit optimisation.”
The program provides colour-coded charting of scheduled pit sections and multiple pit windows for manually editing schedules.
Optimisation is guided by key performance drivers including block value, waste movement and intermediate stockpile size. There are also limits on tonnages, grades and pit-based material movements which are controlled for each time period.
Combinatorics markets MineMAX and uses it to provide mine scheduling consultancy services.
The program has been adopted by Resolute Limited and is currently being used at its Bulong Nickel Site and Golden Pride Gold project in Kalgoorlie.
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