The two companies are joining forces for development of what they describe as "an innovative equipment performance and production tracking solution that will fur- ther improve consolidation and validation of information from mine operational sys- tems." The effort involves Gemcom's InSite operations management software suite and Sandvik's OptiMine simulation tool.

"Sandvik has developed an in-depth understanding of the demands of modern mining operations and how automation of loading and hauling processes in the min- ing cycle can contribute to the improve- ment of safety and efficiency of ore trans- portation," said Allen Vaughn, executive vice president, Gemcom. "Sandvik's desire to provide customers with more in-depth knowledge on the condition of the equip- ment for maintenance purposes, as well as production monitoring to more effectively manage draw and production control, cre- ates the opportunity to leverage InSite."

Gemcom said its InSite provides oper- ations management capabilities that com- plement planning and scheduling activi- ties, along with a continuous improvement engine that drives improved recovery, throughput, equipment utilization, and performance.

"InSite features innovative technology that monitors in near real time equipment, events, and tracks production, which enables timely operational decision mak- ing," said Rauno Pitkänen, manager of pro- jects, systems and new offering, Sandvik Mining and Construction. "This technolo- gy, when combined with Sandvik's OptiMine capabilities, will allow mining companies to follow up on their produc- tion, equipment, and personnel perform- ance metrics in a simple and effective manner. Ultimately, they will be better able to manage and utilize their capital expen- ditures, and be able to back up business decisions with hard data."

A prototype of the Sandvik Gemcom collaborative solution is in place at Sandvik's test mine in Tampere, Finland.