Lubambe, Zambia – Lubambe Copper Mine, an underground copper mine in Zambia, has selected to partner with GroundHog, a leading mine digitization and automation platform, to implement GroundHog’s flagship Short Interval Control and Fleet Management System to increase production rates, safely. The two companies will also be exploring the opportunity to partner on other Digitization and Automation initiatives to improve safety and productivity, including streamlining material management, maintenance, and underground tracking.
“We have chosen to partner with GroundHog and leverage off their expertise in digital mining technology to complement Lubambe’s mining expertise as we believe this is key to maximise the value of our operation. GroundHog’s Short Interval Control solution is a significant step towards us unlocking this potential value, both in terms of improving safety and productivity. said Brett Hartmann, General Manager Operations of Lubambe Copper.
The project aims to streamline complex workflows by leveraging technology and providing automated solutions that simplify daily tasks.
“This is a significant moment for both companies,” said Satish Penmetsa, CEO of GroundHog. “Our mission is to see every mine digitized without sacrificing safety or efficiency. With Lubambe onboard, we are taking one more step towards realizing our vision.”
Over the next several weeks, Lubambe will be rolling out the following capabilities.
- Create shift, day, week, and monthly advance and tonnage plans to streamline shift planning to reduce variance to the short-range, and mid-range mine plans.
- Generate shift line outs for display to increase effective shift lengths.
- Effectively Measure Time Utilization model for equipment, development headings, and stopes to uncover opportunities to improve productivity.
- Automate inventory replenishment for operational supplies to reduce operational delays.
- Provides visibility to supervisors on shift and crew progress so they can use real-time information from the face to make informed decisions at all times during the shift so they can meet daily production goals.
- Mobile dashboard summarizing
- Broken material inventory
- Equipment Time Usage Model
- Equipment status and alerts
The solution offers real-time visibility into shift progress through dashboards summarizing face, equipment, personnel utilization, and other details such as inventory levels, maintenance status, machine data, etc.
“Digitization requires careful planning and change management,” added Hartmann. ” Critical to the success of this project, and more broadly the success of ramping up production at Lubambe, are our people. We recognise that our success comes through the efforts and achievement of our team. Working closely with GroundHogs’ team, we will provide training and ongoing coaching of our personnel and leverage off their skills and experience, to ensure Short Interval Control becomes part of the way we operate at Lubambe. We’ve also appointed a dedicated SPOC (single point of contact) for this project to ensure an efficient execution that meets our exacting standards. “
By partnering with Groundhog, Lubambe recognizes critical benefits associated with digitizing its mining process, which includes gaining access to real-time data, which makes decision-making faster and more reliable.
About GroundHog:
GroundHog is a mine digitization and automation platform, an innovative industry leader providing advanced digitization tools. Their operational and safety solutions simplify complex workflows by applying technology to arduous processes, specializing in short-interval control, fleet management, and environmental, health, and safety tools.
Their mission is to see every mine digitized to increase profitability by achieving higher production rates at a lower cost per ton without sacrificing safety. GroundHog’s solutions help to eliminate silos through streamlined collaboration tools so operations and safety teams can spend their time where it matters the most.
GroundHog’s products and services were developed and tested by some of the finest hard-hat folks from the mines of Nevada, Alaska, Australia, and India and are now present globally. “This is our first underground implementation in Africa and we are putting concerted effort into making this a success. We understand that Zambia has a proud mining history and the capability and enthusiasm of the local work force will be an advantage as we deliver this project.”
Visit www.groundhogapps.com for more information.
