Wisdom from the Trenches

It’s been said that you can’t master what you don’t measure, and this couldn’t

In the last installments of the Mine Digitization and Automation series, we looked at

Mining company strategies depend heavily on the current state of the market. When the

Mining has always been a very risky and dangerous business. Over the years, science

GroundHog FMS is a cutting-edge, yet very affordable fleet management system for mining companies. We’ve

Digitization in mining is focused at making mining better than before. And “better” really

Short Interval Control (or SIC) is a framework of structured processes that help you identify

The mining industry is going through a bleak phase. According to a World Economic

Mining is a complex business that involves management of a large fleet of vehicles

With profits down the global mining community is looking towards digital innovation to provide

Over the past years, sliding productivity and spiralling costs in the mining industry has

The mining industry is still recalibrating to a set of strong headwinds after the

With profits down, the mining industry has shifted its focus towards improving productivity in

According to a report by the World Economic Forum, digitalization in the mining industry

Mining is a complex business that involves management of a large fleet of vehicles

As a number of asset-centric industries continue to leverage IoT to drive business performance

The influx of an array of new technologies and digital innovations in the mining

In a challenging market, mining companies are focused on driving productivity improvements that can

During the mining supercycle, productivity fell to its lowest in more than 30 years.

In part 1 of this series, we looked at advances in automation and robotics

In part 1 and part 2 of this series, we looked at advances in

EY’s global report ‘The digital disconnect: problem or pathway?’ points out that digital advances

Digital transformation is high on the agenda of mining companies that seek to improve

As the digital mine becomes a reality, there is an increasing dependence on hardware,

The digital transformation of mining companies is seen as a business imperative today –

In an asset-intensive industry like mining, equipment availability plays an integral role in meeting

An essential step towards digitizing mining operations is moving from paper-based forms to digital

As we explained in an earlier post, Short Interval Control (or SIC) is a

Underground mines are hazardous environments, potentially exposing workers to a range of health and

With the rule has gone into effect on June 2nd, 2018 the US mining

MSHA’s Mining Updates on Workplace Examination Rules June 2, 2018, was a big day

Mining is one of the most capital-intensive industries in the world, requiring millions of

Over the last decade, mining productivity has been on a steady decline. The industry

Market volatility and cost pressures in the mining industry underscore the critical need for

Not all fleet management systems are created equal – not by a longshot. Selecting

A common misconception about digital deployment world is that it erodes job functions. In

A new paradigm is emerging to confront a critical business challenge: how to access

GroundHog FMS, which already cuts the operating costs of mines by 15%, has been

It is 2019, competition in the mining industry is hotter than ever. As a

Quarries have been in use for thousands of years. However, in principle, they haven’t

The miners of a hundred years ago would be shocked to see the technology

Quarry managers work incredibly hard. The stress of meeting daily production targets can often

There isn’t a magic piece of software that can change the past and they’re

quarryHog, rapidBizApps latest software, is a mobile fleet management system optimized for quarries. Designed

The mining industry is heading into uncharted territory. New technology is emerging left and

When it comes to OEE, mining is well behind other industries that have somewhat

Everyone can agree that safety is a top priority in mines. However, MHSA’s record

Change in the mining industry is inevitable. In order to turn change to progress,

Making money mining sand is tricky, but with the right approach, it is manageable.

Digital transformation is a top concern for many executives today. The promise of increased

The American ‘Shale Revolution’ presents sand mines with a unique opportunity to grow profits

With the US oil and gas industry booming, now is a great time to

With the US oil and gas industry booming, now is a great time to

As a quarry manager, there are two constant pressures. Keeping costs at a minimum

The most important thing a quarry can do is measure. Measure everything. Thorough, accurate

One of the easiest ways a quarry can boost its productivity is optimization of

Regular, proper workplace inspections are a cornerstone to a safe mine. While there is

At the center of every successful mining operation is an arsenal of good equipment.

A safety walk is an essential part of any mine’s inspection routine. However, conducting

Conveyor devices aren’t cheap and skimping on proper maintenance is just asking to lose

In the not so distant future, companies will be forced to make a decision;

To wrap up our GroundHog EHS series, we’ll be sharing some of our tips

Reflect is a proprietary GroundHog FMS infrastructure that allows Supervisors and Dispatchers at the

Replay is a feature in the GroundHog FMS OpsCenter. It allows supervisors to see

Rhythm provides supervisors with a simple interface to track when each tablet has been

The unfortunate reality of mining is that the heydays have passed. That may sound

Mines work hard to keep their intensity high, which in turn allows them to

First line task coordinators need to be able to make informed decisions. However that

The most important thing a mine can do is measure. Measure everything. Thorough, accurate

Scheduling is hard, it’s even harder when you’re doing it for a mine full

Some of the most important tasks in a mine are planning, scheduling, executing and

Mining equipment is a huge investment. If you’re going to drop that kind of

Tracking equipment data and consumables is a key part of mining. Mining cannot occur

Data. Is. Everything. How you get it, how you use it. In mining, good

The most important thing a mine can do is measure. Measure everything. Thorough, accurate

First line task coordinators need to be able to make informed decisions, however that

Fleet management systems are the single best way to boost your mine’s production. Not

There will be delays every once in a while, no matter how well you

One of the great challenges of running a mine can be the task of

There is a right way and a wrong way to manage maintenance in the

Safety is everything in the mining world. Everyone wants to get home safe after

Hiring for a mine isn’t always easy, this is especially true given the remote

We’d all like to have 100% crew availability 100% of the time. That’s never

Managing labour performance can be quite tricky and there is absolutely a right way

Industrial safety is at the front of every plant managers mind. OSHA fines are

The second method commonly used to track 5000-23s is more an evolution of the

As mining companies begin to shift away from paper forms of 5000-23 management they

One step further than Excel and paper as a 5000-23 management solution is the

After struggling with all the previously discussed “solutions” for 5000-23 management, it is inevitable

Being a safety manager isn’t easy, but it’s even worse if you’re trying to

Task training in mines can be a massive headache for health & safety managers,

Managing your task training on paper or on Excel is cheap. However, fines from