Granny Smith gold mine - Innovation and technology
The following value add projects have been completed, or are in progress:
- Upgrades to the Granny Smith mill during 2017 improved operating systems and metal recovery
- A pre-feasibility study for the mining of Zone 135 will commence in H2 2018
- Ventilation upgrades and mine refrigeration projects will continue in 2018
- Construction of the Wallaby paste plant is scheduled for completion during Q3 2018
- Business improvement initiatives include a Kaizen Blitz on underground development, a number of projects aiming to improve grade through better controls on dilution and recovery as well as a number of power-related projects. The latter will include the viability of a solar farm to provide part of the future power requirements
Preliminary stage technology solutions will be initiated by:
- Trialling Newtrax safety solution. This allows real-time tracking and monitoring of personnel; it can also be extended to real-time geotechnical, fixed plant and environmental monitoring
- Complete a feasibility of Long-Term Evolution (LTE 4G network). This will allow a connected mine with high data rates up to the working face, enable remote operations and monitoring of equipment from surface