Round Mountain recently partnered with acQuire, a geoscience data management software company in the mining industry, to develop a new mobile data capture application which will improve their current process for blasthole data collection.
The partnership came about when the Round Mountain data systems team discovered a need to improve their blasthole data handling practices. In the past, data was recorded using a combination of offline-workflows and paper logs, which created challenges such as connectivity issues in the pit, errors from transcribing handwritten logs, and long wait times for data availability.
To address these issues, the Round Mountain team worked with acQuire to develop a new data entry mobile application for collecting blasthole data. This was an excellent opportunity for Kinross and acQuire to gain a better understanding of the mine’s needs, and use the app in a real-world environment to identify areas of improvement.
The
results of the app provided Round Mountain with numerous efficiencies including:
- Offline
working in the pit with seamless synchronization back to the server once
network connectivity is established
- Maps
of blast patterns within the interface to identify which holes have been logged
- Responsive
layouts to optimize screen sizes for a variety of devices
- Accurate,
efficient entry of sample IDs by using the devices’ built-in barcode scanner
located in the camera
“Working
with acQuire offered a unique chance to provide feedback directly to acQuire
developers regarding the design of this application. This created an
opportunity for Kinross to provide insight into real-world requirements for
both the application design and the user experience,” said Ian Dickie, Senior Geologist
– Data Systems. “This new technology has a very user-friendly functionality
and creates a smooth workflow where the benefits have optimized our ability to
work efficiently, and without error. This innovation reinforces our commitment
to continuous improvement and we are proud of our team and the acQuire team for
their dedication to this project.”