The ASIA Miner - Reporting Important Issues to Mining Companies in the Asia Pacific Region
Issue link: https://asiaminer.epubxp.com/i/830355
48 | ASIA Miner | Volume 14 • Issue 2 | 2017 DATA driven technologies will continue to radically transform how mines are run for decades to come, according to PETRA Data Sci- ence managing director and founder Dr Penny Stewart. Ahead of her speaking engagement at the 'Austmine 2017: Mining's Innova- tion Imperative' conference in May, she says engineered data sci- ence is allowing mines of today to predict and prevent downtime. "What happens is our algorithms are put into the system, the al- gorithm analyses the 'Internet of things' data coming out of the ma- chinery and uses it to predict down time in real-time. "As far as I know, PETRA is one of only a few companies en- abling mines to do it successfully," she says. "For example, one of our FORESTALL ® algorithms is being used to predict GEHO slurry pump pressure spikes up to a day before they happen." Under Penny Stewart's direction, PETRA brought together a trans- disciplinary team of PhD qualified engineers, mathematicians and programmers whose sole purpose is to engineer data science solu- tions for the resources industry. "In the case of digital transformation, diversity is most powerful when we develop transdisciplinary teams who think and act beyond traditional silos of domain expertise," she says. PETRA Data Science specialises in engineered data science in- cluding machine learning prediction, artificial intelligence and mine- to-mill big data optimisation. Penny Stewart will present at Austmine 2017's 'The Digital Mine' session, which will feature speakers from Australia and overseas who are making it their personal mission to lead mining into the digital future. Other speakers include: Teck Resources' director of Operational Technology Peter Cunningham with 'The Pillars of Digital Operations at Teck'; MiningIoT.com project director Luke Davey with 'Mining and the Internet of Things'; and Barrick Gold chief innovation officer Michelle Ash with 'The Digital Reinvention of the Mine'. Penny Stewart's topic 'Silent Music: Mining Case Studies in Ma- chine Learning', will provide an insight into engineered data science, and the type of improvements machine learning and big data can bring to the mining industry. As a person at the forefront of mining's digital revolution, Penny Stewart says data science will be a vital skill for miners across the length and breadth of the resource extraction process. She says it will become increasingly necessary for miners to upskill into data science and those with deep industry experience will be best positioned to capitalise on these new opportunities. "There are so many options for upskill- ing into these data-driven professions that weren't around even a decade ago. It's a lot easier to get the necessary learn- ing and educational programs at low or even no cost than it was 10 years ago." The Austmine 2017: Mining's Innova- tion Imperative conference is from May 22-24 at Perth Conference and Exhibition Centre. A NEW hybrid satellite and mobile phone plan from Pivotel is set to strengthen con- nectivity and reduce safety risks for remote industries that operate in unreliable mobile coverage areas. As Australia's fourth largest mobile carrier, Pivotel is leading an indus- try-first initiative to bring historically more expensive satellite phone costs in line with contemporary mobile phone plans. Similar to 'capped' mobile plans, the ser- vice offers a large satellite bundle and an unlimited voice and SMS bundle in stan- dard mobile mode. Pivotel CEO Peter Bolger said the new solution aimed to help industries operating in remote locations to communicate with colleagues and management from any- where, including notorious black spot ar- eas, with a cost effective telco plan. "With the remoteness of Australian work- places, satellite phones are an essential communication channel, but the cost per minute to talk is generally considered high compared to what we are used to with cur- rent mobile phone plans," he said. "Australians working in remote areas rely on communication devices to keep them safe. This is why we have created the Thu- raya Big Bundle package, a completely new package allowing users to make calls be- tween the office and fleet at a much lower rate than other providers." Pivotel services come with a standard 04 Australian mobile number and business- es who already have a number of satellite phones can add the low-cost Thuraya Big Bundle services into their fleet to take ad- vantage of the offering. Pivotel's Big Bundle can accompany the SatSleeve, an innovative device that fits on smartphones like a case, instantly trans- forming a regular phone into a satellite phone. The SatSleeve can be used to make outgoing calls and access SMS and data services via the smartphone using satellite connection, yielding reception in locations where there otherwise would be none. Businesses in the resources, transport and logistics, construction, forestry and ag- ricultural sectors are among those who have already adopted SatSleeve's technology. Pivotel Group is an Australian provider of satellite mobile technology including satellite phones, satellite broadband, personal and asset trackers, docking kits, M2M connec- tions and maritime communication. Its experienced network of engineers, ap- plication developers and account manag- ers ensure Pivotel Group's licensed carrier network is directly interconnected with all major mobile satellite operators to provide the most extensive range of satellite voice, data, personal safety and asset monitoring solutions. Digital revolution transforms mining Pivotel Group is strengthening connectivity for remote industries, such as mining. Improving comms for remote industries PETRA Data Science MD Dr Penny Stewart.