Technology has been one of the most significant enablers for success in the mining industry for, well, since the beginning of the mining industry. Effective use of innovative production and safety technologies have always separated the high performers from the mediocre. But, just having technology isn’t a guarantee of added value to the bottom line. Innovation, by its very nature, is complicated – even in its simplest form. To get the most out of advanced technology, mines need their technology partners’ support.
That’s where RAMJACK’s Remote Operations Centre – rROC – comes in.
Mining companies across the globe have concluded that consolidating the operations of real-time systems – for production, safety, monitoring, etc. – into one “integrated” operations centre is a good idea. In fact, some of the big guns have spent tens of millions of dollars in creating their Integrated Remote Operations Centres. They design and build “flashy”, futuristic technology centres that, without a doubt, impress investors, technology gurus and mining professionals alike. But, is it worth it?
The problem is, even the flashiest technology centre in the world can’t solve the underlying challenge of bridging the gap between what mine operations need to deliver their targets versus what technology solutions need to be most effective. Every real-time technology solution in the industry is plagued with the same challenges:
- Misalignment of activities and desired outcomes;
- Low level of knowledge transfer during deployment;
- Unclear responsibilities for value generation;
- Difficulty ingraining technology in work processes and operating procedures;
- Little or no improvement in the overall quality of decision-making.
RAMJACK’s Remote Operations Centre – the first of its kind in the world – is a programme created to solve exactly this problem – with the only objective of supporting mining operations in realising the true value of their real-time systems. The systematic rROC approach takes the burden off mines to be ‘advanced technology experts’ so they can focus on mining. The programme includes 24/7 monitoring in real-time, direct communications with key resources on-site and a detailed communication plan ensuring all safety, operational and security requirements are met.
Consider the following case studies:
Implementing an effective Reliability Centred Maintenance Program using real-time maintenance management. Massive improvements to availability, reduced MTBF and MTTR, considerable costs savings and substantial reductions in lost production were achieved at the Tenke Fungurume Mine in the DRC thanks to RAMJACK’s rROC programme. The programme used their existing industry standard mine maintenance application to target improvements previously un-realised for a return on investment that was previously unimaginable.
Improving Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) through better utilisation of industry standard fleet management solutions. By incorporating the rROC’s process and data driven knowledge transfer model, the third largest gold provider in the world, AngloGold Ashanti, is using rROC’s 24/7 data analysis and operational support to achieve a step-change improvement in OEE at their Iduapriem operation in the Tarkwa region of Ghana – combining data analytics, system optimisation and mine operations expertise in a way that has never been done before.
Every rROC programme includes a systematic reconstruction of data driven actions to achieve defined outcomes based on specific, quantifiable KPIs. The objectives of the programme follow a set methodology, designed by RAMJACK, that capitalises on years of experience realising value from mining technology solutions, including:
- A Scoping Workshop used to define the desired outcomes of the programme;
- A Programme Charter documenting the responsibilities, stages and milestones;
- A Communication Protocol defining the communication flow for the programme;
- A formal Knowledge Transfer Program that goes far beyond on-the-job training.
With extensive experience operating systems ranging from mine maintenance to mine operations to mine safety, the rROC programme is guaranteed to deliver results – in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the costs of mining companies “going it alone”.
Imagine if every technology investment your mine makes were to actually deliver the return on investment that was promised by the system manufacturer.
That’s the power of rROC.
If you’re looking to optimise the use of your mining technology applications, contact your nearest RAMJACK office to explore how the rROC can help.
