Hexagon Mining releases improved schedule optimizer

TUCSON, ARIZONA, December 19, 2017 – Hexagon Mining today releases an improved version of its mine scheduling tool, which addresses the challenge of sequencing and modeling waste dumps with multiple access roads.

MineSight Schedule Optimizer (MSSO) is used by hundreds of mines worldwide to determine the most productive cut mining sequence to achieve the highest project profitability. MSSO Version 11, released today, features a Multi-Entry tool, which responds to customers‘ haulage needs for open pit truck and shovel operations.

The workaround usually employed to tackle the challenge of sequencing and modeling waste dumps with multiple access roads is to split the dump destination into multiple dumps. If a waste dump (e.g. Dump1) has two entrances, then MSSO users typically split it into two dumps - one for each road. This creates more destinations than needed in the schedule.

Version 11 changes this by allowing mine engineers to plan for haulage access to dumps via multiple entrances or ramps based on the mining location and available dumping points. If you are trying to determine the best routing destination for your material while accounting for sequencing destinations with multiple entries, then MSSO Version 11 is the answer.

“The value to our customers is that low confidence in sequencing has a direct impact on time and cost, and MSSO 11 improves the haulage component significantly,“ said Carl Brackpool, Product Manager.

“This improvement not only addresses concerns with highly manual calculations, but it also represents the first in a series of features around a world-class haulage function that will include monitoring for road congestion in real-time, the next phase of MSSO and Multi-Entry for 2018.”