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Sunday, 06 September 15
AUTOMATION AND TECHNOLOGY IS CERTAINLY PART OF THE SOLUTION FOR IMPROVING PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY TO MAKE THE MINE OPERATIONS MORE PROFITABLE, HOWEVER............ - LUKE JALSEVAC
 "The Technology and Innovation in Mining 2015" production team at Information Exchange Group interviewed Luke Jalsevac, Director, Business Optimization Global Value Assurance, Kinross Gold Corporation, one of their speakers for TIM2015.
“ When the price of a commodity is rising, most companies focus on extracting as much from the ground as possible to capture the high margins, which may result in diminished rigor around operational excellence. When prices decline, they often overshoot to the downside, creating substantial financial pain for companies " - Luke Jalsevac
Q: The central theme behind the upcoming Summit is Innovation and Technology. From some of the innovative projects that you have been a part of at Kinross, can you share some areas where automation has helped optimize your business?
A: While Kinross has not done a great deal that can be classified as purely automation, we have been implementing a number of optimization projects involving either data automation or automation of components of processes in both mining and processing. Our focus on improving operational processes over the past number of years is enabling us to look at technology for additional opportunities.
Q: Given the current market scenario for the resources sector, do you think automation and technology is the best way forward to make the operations more profitable?
A: Automation and technology is certainly part of the solution for improving performance and efficiency, however I would argue that it needs to be used judiciously. All too often I have seen technology proposed as a ‘silver bullet’ solution when in fact there are great gains possible from improving foundational technical and business processes first, often with much smaller investments. If there are underlying process problems, technology can in fact exacerbate the situation by adding significant cost and complexity without improving bottom line performance. Having said that, for more mature operations there certainly are opportunities for automation and technology to play an important role in propelling performance to the next level. As an industry, gold mining isn’t the fastest to adopt new technologies for a whole host of reasons, some quite legitimate, but it strikes me that there is much to be learned from other mining companies as well as industries that seem unrelated.
Q: The mining sector has been one of the last ones to wake up to the benefits of technology. From a traditionally orthodox set of operations to drones flying in the mine sites, do you see challenges in terms of employees being able to keep up with the changes?
A: There are definitely a number of structural challenges faced by mining that make it harder for employees to keep up with the changes:
As a general rule cutting edge technology originates in large cities, which is where the top technology talent want to live. Most mines are in remote locations making it very difficult to attract people with the skills required to manage and implement new technologies.
The primary input, the ore body, is usually quite varied throughout changing, making it difficult to automate and standardize certain elements of the process. Manufacturing, in comparison, doesn’t face this same challenge.
The cyclical, boom and bust nature of mining makes it difficult to invest in technology in a methodical manner. Typically speaking , when the price of a commodity is rising, most companies focus on extracting as much from the ground as possible to capture the high margins, which may result in diminished rigor around operational excellence. When prices decline, they often overshoot to the downside, creating substantial financial pain for companies. In this difficult environment, like the one we are experiencing now, technology is often one of the first things to get cut from the budget.
Despite these challenges, there is no question that there are significant opportunities for resource companies to adopt technologies from other industries to improve our performance. It will require the willingness to step out of our comfort zone and try something new.
Q: Would you like to share something about the ongoing projects at Kinross which involves cutting edge technology? What are some of the typical challenges you face when trying to convince the management to embark on such projects?
A: Our focus as a company over the past five years has been building a foundation to strengthen our processes in mine planning, maintenance, geology, operations, etc. As a result, our primary focus has not been on technology, although technology has played a par t in the various improvements. Some examples include: optimization of our mining dispatch systems and implementation of High Precision GPS (HPGPS); implementation of maintenance health monitoring systems; drilling and blasting optimization (e.g. blast hole monitoring); automation of daily production reports, and the list goes on.
Q: What are your expectations from the Technology and Innovation in Mining 2015?
A: I’m interested to hear from other mining companies about which technology has truly helped them improve their bottom line performance, but even more importantly, how they go about selecting and managing technology implementations to ensure that they actually achieve the expected benefits.
Luke Jalsevac, Director, Business Optimization Global Value Assurance, Kinross Gold Corporation was interviewed by the Technology and Innovation in Mining 2015 Production Team at Information Exchange Group
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Monday, 07 September 15
CFR SOUTH CHINA COAL SWAPS ROSE 1.1 PER CENT WEEK OVER WEEK
COALspot.com: API 8 CFR South China Coal swap for 4Q’ 2015 delivery declined just US$ 1.52 (3 %) per MT month over month.
A commodity sw ...
Sunday, 06 September 15
THE CAPE SIZE INDEX ROSE 10.83 PER CENT WEEK OVER WEEK
COALspot.com: The BDI, the Baltic exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, declined o ...
Saturday, 05 September 15
DRY BULK MARKET MAY SUFFER NOW, BUT IS BOUND FOR A RECOVERY THANKS TO A LIMITED FUTURE FLEET GROWTH - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
The slow increase of dry bulk tonnage growth this year could turn into a solid indicator of the market’s future prospects. According to a rec ...
Friday, 04 September 15
U.S. COAL PRODUCTION FOR THE W/E AUGUST 29, UP SLIGHTLY; FALL 4.5 PERCENT Y-Y: EIA
COALspot.com – United States the world’s second largest coal producer has produced approximately totaled an estimated 18.7 million shor ...
Friday, 04 September 15
GOVERNORS WILL HAVE THE POWER TO REVOKE MINERS' PERMITS: ENERGY MINISTRY - JG
Starting Oct. 1, Indonesia's governors will lawfully become "executors" in revoking the licenses of miners that fail to secure a &quo ...
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- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- White Energy Company Limited
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- The University of Queensland
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Planning Commission, India
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- MS Steel International - UAE
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Australian Coal Association
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- PTC India Limited - India
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
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